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MRS. HALE'S 

RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION: 

CONTAINING 

FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIVE 



USEFUL, ORNAMENTAL, AND DOMESTIC ARTS, 



AND IN THE CONDUCT „0F LIFE. 

^ BEIKG A. 

COMPLETE FAMILY DIRECTORY, ^ 




RELATIVE TO 



Accomplisliinents, [Economy, 



AmusemeiitSi 

Beauty, 

Birds, 

Building, 

Children, 

Cookery, 

Courtship, 

Dress, etc. 



Etching, 

Etiquette, 

Flowers, 

Gardening, 

Grecian Painting, 

Health, 

Home, 

Housekeeping, 



Ladies' Work, 

Feather Work, 

Manners, 

Marriage, 

Medicines, 

Needlework, 

Nursing, 

Out-Door Work, 

Painting, 



Words of Washington, etc. 



cJ^' 



Phrenology, -^ 
Potichomanie, 

Poultry, j 

Riding, j 

Swimming, \ 
Surgery, Domestic I 
Temperance, 

Trees, etc. • i 

Women's Duties, | 

i 



BY MRS. SARAH JOSEPHA HALE. 



|)l)Uair£lpl)ia: 
T. B. PETERSON, NO. 806 CHESTNUT STREET. 



AH:^' 



V>\ 



Q, 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in tlie year 1857, by 

SARAH JOSEPHA HALE, 

In tlio Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in and for the Eastern 
District of Pennsylvania. 



P R E F A C : 



**AU the labor of man s for his mouthy^^ Bays Bolomon. If this 
proverb be understood, as it was undoubtedly meant — that the chief 
aim ani purpose of all human labor are to make the homes of mankind 
places of enjoyment, we see how important the art of household manage- 
ment becomes. 

While preparing my *'New Cook Book," I was naturally led to ex- 
amine the subject, and the result was a deep conviction of the need of 
another work on domestic economy, or directions how to guide the 
house. This led me to prepare the present treatise, embodying rules 
and receipts, such as never before have been brought together for the 
help and instruction of a household. 

*^ Knowledge is poicer^^ always; knowledge used for good purposes is 
wisdom. Knowledge, like gold, must be gained by personal effort ; and 
usually, in small quantities, and by continued exertions, both wisdom and 
gold are accumulated. 

It has been by washing the sands of common experience and gathering 
the small bits of science and art found here and there on the mining 
ground of common knowledge, that this large work, containing the pure 
gold of truth, applicable to all the needs of commcn life, has been 
made. A few nuggets will be seen, such as the collected maxims of 
Franklin, and the ** Words of Washington," never before placed within 
the reach of the popular mind. 

In the economy and well-being of the family, personally and in- 
dividually, improvement should be sedulously kept in view. It is not 
enough that woman understands the art of cookery and of managing 
her house: she must also take care of herself; of children; of all who 
will be dependent on her for direction, for health, for happiness. 

Personal appearance is important; the art of beautifying a home is 
important; the knowledge of ways and means by which the clothing of 
a family may be kept in good order, with the least expense of time and 
money, is important; some knowledge of plants, flowers, gardening, 
and of domestic animals, is of much benefit, particularly to thos\3 who 

(3) 



4 PBEFAGB. 

lire in the country ; and more important than all, is a knowledge of the 
best means of preserving or restoring health. Then there is the very 
important matter of home happiness to be kept in view. Amnsements, 
acuom|.!ishments, elegant arts, manners, modes of conduct in society; 
all these are necessary knowledge. And to crown the whole, those in- 
dispensable rules and maxims of moral improvement, which are the 
foundation of good in the character and life of rational, immortal beings, 
must be made familiar. All this has been attempted in ** Receipts for 
the Million," as every person may see by examining ** The Table of 
Contents" and the *andex." 

The aim of both my works on domestic matters has been tojawaken 
the attention of my own sex to these subjects, belonging, so unquestion- 
ably, to woman's department. The home administration is in her hands ; 
how salutary and powerful this may be made in its influence on humanity 
is yet hardly imagined, even by the most sagacious and earnest advo- 
cates of woman's elevation. 

Would that those of my sex who are urging onward, into the industrial 
pursuits, and other professions appropriate for men, might turn their 
attention to improvements in domestic economy. Here is an open field, 
where their heads and hearts as well as hands may find ample scope and 
noble objects. The really great woman never undervalues her own 
sphere. Madame Roland excelled in her menage; Mrs. Somerville is 
eminent for domestic qualities ; Mrs. Sigourney is a pattern housekeeper ; 
and a multitude of other names and examples may be met with in my 
recent work,* where genius is found adorning home pursuits. 

There should be Lectures on Housekeeping, and other subjects con- 
nected with domestic life, instituted in every Ladies Seminary. This 
would serve to remedy, in some degree, the evils that now attend a board- 
ing-school education. The grand defect of this is, that teachers too often 
leave out of sight the application of learning to the home pursuits of 
young ladies. So when these return to the parental roof, they give 
themselves up to novel reading, as their chief mental resource. 

A better time is coming. _ Women, capable of using their faculties for 
the improvement of society, will not much longer remain in the castle of 
indolence. Miss Nightingale will find followers. And as the active pur- 
suits of women will naturally centre in the domestic circle, great advances 
in the art ui making home the place of happiness must be made. 

May this book help onward the good work. 

S. J. H. 
Philadelphia, October 1st, 1857. 

* " A BiograpMcal Dictionary of BisiinguiBlied Women.** 



CONTENTS. 



Pbefage ••.... 3 

Contents ^ 5 

PAET I. 

HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 

Hoase Cleaning — Eepairing Furniture —: Cleaning Stoves and 
Grates — Mending Glass, China, &c. — Coloring and Polishing 
Furniture, &g, — Removing unpleasant Odors — Fires — ^Water and 
Cisterns — Carriages and Harness — Washing — To remove Stains 
— To clean Silks, Lace, &c. — Paste, Glue, and Cement — Dyeing 
— Blacking for Boots, Shoes, &c. — To destroy Insects — The 
Kitchen, &c. Page 9 to 88 

PART IL 

HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 

Rules for the preservation of Health — Simple Recipes efficacious 
in common diseases and slight injuries — Burns and Scalds — 
Fevers — Plasters, Blisters, Ointments, &c. — Poisons and Anti- 
dotes—Baths and Bathing-— The Toilet, or hints for the preser- 
vation of Beauty — The Dressing-Table Page 89 to 150 

PART III. 

HOME PURStTlTS AND DOMESTIC ARTS. ' 

Needle-work — Explanation of Stitches — Preparation of House- 
Linen — Patchwork — Silk Embroidery — Fancy-work — Ink — 
Birds, Fish, Flowers, &c. — House-Plants — Window-Plants — To 

manage a Watch Page 151 to 187 

(6) 



6 €©NT12CTS. 

PAET lY. 

DOMESTIC ECONOMY, AND OTHER MATTERS WORTH KNOWING. 

Teas — Coffee — Yarious Kecipes for making Essences, &c. — Pre- 
serving Fruit, Yegetables^ Herbs, &c. — Hints to Farmers — 
Management of a Horse— Eaising Poultry — Preservation from 
Fire — Drowning — Suffocation— Thunder storms. .Page 188 to 209 

PAET Y. 

MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE, AND MAID. 

Of the Table — On the management of Infants, young Children, 
and the Sick — Qualifications of a good Nurse — Food for the Sick 
and for Children-^Drinks for the Sick — Simple mixtures — Eules 
for Women Servants • Page 210 to 264 

PAET YT. 

HINTS ABOUT AGRICULTURE, GARDENING, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, &C. 

Manure — Soil — Hay — Grains — Yegetables — To destroy Insects— 
Yermin — Weeds — Cows, Calves, Sheep, &c. — Gardening — The 
Orchard — Timber — Building — Bees. Page 265 to 318 

PAET YII. 

• MISCELLANEOUS. 

Choice and cheap Cookery — New Eeceipts — Southern Dishes — 
Cakes, Bread, Pies, and Puddings — Home-made Wines, Mead, 
Nectar, &c. — Washing — Hints on Diet, Exercise, and Economy- 
Painting — Books — Periodicals and Newspapers. Page 319 to 384 

PAET YIII. 

ELEGANT AND INGENIOUS ARTS. 

Water-Colors used in Drawing — Directions for mixing Colors — 
Wash Colors for Maps — To paint Flowers, Birds, Landscapes, 
&c., in Water-Colors — Potichomanie — Grecian Paiujting — Dia- 
phanic Feather Flowers— Sea-Weeds — Botanical Specimens, Leaf 
Impressions, &c. — Transferring to Glass, Wood, &c. — Emblematic 
Stones — Staining Stone, Wood, &c. — Ornamental Leather work 
— Dyeing — Games— Evening Pastime Page 385 to 431 



CONTENTS. 7 

PAET IX. 

WORK IN DOORS AND OUT. 

Household maxims — Household receipts for many things — Care 
of Furs — Wise economy — Things to know — Cleanliness — Pre- 
vention of accidents — Domestic hints — More hints on Agriculture 
— Cattle — Gardening — Drying Herbs— Properties and uses of 
Vegetables — Yegetables to cultivate — Fruit Trees and Fruit — 
Yermin on Trees Page 431 to 484 

PART X. 

PERSONAL MATTERS. 

Dress of Ladies — Dress of a Gentleman — Manners — Rules of 
Etiquette — Dinner Parties — Balls and Evening Parties — Court- 
ship and Marriage — Marriage Ceremony — After Marriage — > 
Directions to a Wife — Directions to a Husband — Our House — 
Conversation — Rules of Conduct • Page 484 to 533 

PART XI. 

HEALTH AND WEALTH. 

Preservation of Health — Baths — Exercise — Terms expressing the 
properties of medicines — Ointments and Cerates — Embrocations 
and Liniments — Enemas — Poultices — Special rules for the pre- 
vention of Cholera— Rules for a Sick Room — Domestic Surgery — • 
Bandages — Riches — Temperance — Way to Wealth. P. 533 to 590 

PART XII. 

THE FAMILY AT HOME. 

A good Table — Bread, &c. — Meats — Yegetables — Household 
management — Beverages — Useful Receipts for Family Practice 
■ — Miscellaneous Receipts, Rules, &c. — Dietetic maxims — Hints 
to Mechanics and Workmen — Maxims and Morals for all Men — 
Home Industry for Young Ladies — Pets — Swimming — Riding- — 
Home Counsels — Parlor Amusements — The training of Daughters, 
&c. — Sentiments of Flowers — Signs of the Weather — Air — Its 
effects on Life — Importance of Laws — Phrenology — Synopsis of 
American History — Words of Washington — Useful Family 
Tables Page 690 to 699 



MES. HALE'S 

RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION, 



CONTAINING 



FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIVE 
RECEIPTS, FACTS, ETC. 



PAET I. 
HOME AND ITS EMPLOYfllENTS. 

House- cleaning — Repairing Furniture — Washing -^ Mending 
Glass^ China, do. — Dyeing — Blacking for Boots^ Shoes, etc, — 
To destroy Insects — The Kitchen, dc, 

1. House Cleaning. — The spring is more particularly the time 
for house-cleaning ; though, of course, it requires attention 
monthly. 

Begin at the top of the house ; first take up the carpets, and, 
if they require it, let them be scoured ; or as carpets are some- 
times injured by scouring, they may be well beaten, and if 
necessary, washed with soda and water. 

Remove all the furniture from the room, have the chimneys 
swept where fires have been kept, and clean and blacken the 
grates. Wrap old towels, (they should be clean), around the 
bristles of the broom, and sweep lightly the ceiling and paper ; 
or, if requisite, the paper should be cleaned with bread, as else- 
where directed. Then wash the paint with a flannel or sponge, 
and soap and water, and, as fast as one person cleans, another 
should follow, and with clean cloths, wipe the paint perfectly 
dry. Let the windows be cleaned, and scour the floor. Let 
the furniture be well rubbed ; and the floor being dry, and the 
carpets laid down, the furniture may be replaced. The paper 
should be swept every three months. 



2. To clean Bed rooms, — In cleaning bed-room> infested with 
bugs, take the bedsteads asunder, and wash every part of them, 



10 MKS. bale's receipts for thb milijon* 

but especially the joints, with a strong solution of corrosive 
sublimate in spirits of turpentine; as the sublimate is a fatal 
poison, the bottle containing the above solution should be la- 
belled '"Poison;" it should be used very carefully, and iaid on 
with a brush kept for the purpose. Bugs can only be removed 
from walls by taking down the paper, washing them with the 
above poison, and re-papering. 

In bed-rooms with fires, a whisk-brush is best to clear the 
curtains and hangings from dust. 

To remove grease or oil from boards, drop on the spots spirits 
of turpentine before the floor is scoured. 

The house-maid should be provided with a box, with divisions, 
to convey her various utensils, as brushes, black lead, <k;c., from 
room to room, and a small mat to kneel upon while cleaning 
the grate. 



3. Scouring Bed-rooms, — This should never be done in winter 
if it can be avoided, as it is productive of many coughs and 
colds. If inevitable, a dry day should be selected, and the 
windows and doors should be left wide open till dusk. A fire, 
ought always to be made in the room after cleaning. 



4. To clean Carpets, — Before sweeping a carpet, sprinkle over 
it a few handfuls of waste tea-leaves. A stiff hair-broom or 
brush should be used, unless the carpet be very dirty, when a 
whisk or carpet-broom should be used first, followed by another 
made of hair to take off the loose dirt. The frequent use of a 
stiff broom soon injures the beauty of the best carpet. An or- 
dinary clothes-brush is best adapted for superior carpets. 

When Brussels carpets are very much soiled, take them up 
and beat them perfectly free from dust. Efkve the floor thor- 
oughly scoured and dry, and nail the carpet firmly down to it. 
If still soiled, take a pailful of clean, cold water, and put into it 
about three gills of ox-gall. Take another pail, with clean, cold 
water only ; now rub with a soft scrubbing-brush some of the 
ox-gall water on the carpet, which will raise a lather. When a 
convenient-sized portion is done, wash the lather off with a clean 
linen cloth dipped in the clean water. Let this water be changed 
frequently. When all the lather has disappeared, rub the part 
with a clean, dry cloth. After all is done, open the window to 
allow the carpet to dry. A carpet treated in this manner, will be 
greatly refreshed in color, particularly the greens. Kiddermin* 



^DME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. H 

ster carpets will scarcely bear the above treatment without be- 
coming so soft as speedily to become dirty again. This may, 
in some measure, be prevented by brushing them over with a 
hot, weak solution of size in water, to which a little alum has 
been added. Curd soap dissolved in hot water, may be used 
instead of ox-gall, but it is more likely to injui-e the colors, if 
produced by false dyes. Where there are spots of grease in 
the carpeting, they may be covered with curd soap dissolved in 
boiling water, and rubbed with a brush until the stains are re- 
moved, when they must be cleaned with warm water as before. 
The addition of a little gall to the soap renders it more effi- 
cacious. 

The carpets should be nailed on the full stretch, else they will 
shrink. 

Fullers' earth is also used for cleaning carpets ; and alum, or 
soda, dissolved in water, for reviving the colors. 

5. To clean Turkey Carpets, — To revive the color of a Turkey 
carpet, beat it well with a stick till the dust is all got out ; then, 
with a lemon or sorrel juice, take out the spots of ink, if the 
carpet be stained with any ; w^ash it in cold water, and after- 
wards shake out all the water from the threads of the carpet. 
When it is thoroughly dry, rub it all over with the crumb of a 
hot wheaten loaf; and, if the weather is very fine, hang it out 
in the open air a night or two. 



6. Cheap Carpeting, — Sew together strips of the cheapest 
cotton cloth, of the size of the room, and tack the edges to the 
floor. Then paper the cloth, as you would the sides of a room, 
with any sort of room paper. After being well dried, give it 
two coats of varnish, and your carpet is finished. It can be 
washed like carpets, without injury, retains its gloss, and, on 
chambers or sleeping rooms, where it will not meet rough usage, 
will last for two years, as good as new. 



7. To heat a Carpet, — Hang the carpet upon a clothes-lino, 
or upon a stout line between two trees ; it should then be beaten 
on the wrong side, by three or four persons, each having a pliable 
stick, with cloth tied strongly in a knob on the ei}d, in order to 
prevent the carpet from being torn, or the seams split, by the 
sharp end of the stick. When thoroughly beaten on the wrong 
side, the carpet should be turned, and beaten on the right side. 



12 MRS. hale's eeceipts for the million. 

8. Floor or Oil Cloths, — Floor-cloths should be chosen that 
are painted on a fine cloth, which is well covered with the color, 
and the patterns on which do not rise much above the ground, 
as thej wear out first. The durability of the cloth will depend 
much on these particulars, but more especially on the time it 
has been painted, and the goodness of the colors. If they have 
not been allowed sufficient time for becoming thoroughly har- 
dened, a very little use will injure them ; and, as they are very 
expensive articles, care in preserving them is necessary. It 
answers to keep them some time before they are used, either 
hang up in a dry barn where they will have air, or laid down 
in a spare room. 

When taken up for the winter, they should be rolled round a 
carpet-roller, and observe not to crack the paint by turning the 
edges in too suddenly. 

Old carpets answer extremely well, painted and seasoned 
some months before laid down. If for passages, the width must 
be directed when they are sent to the manufactory, as they are 
cut before painting. 

9. To clean Floor cloths. — Sweep, then wipe them with a flan 
nel ; and when all dust and spots are removed, rub with a 
waxed flannel, and then with a dry plain one ; but use little 
wax, and rub only enough with the latter to give a little smooth- 
ness, or it may endanger falling. 

Washing now and then with milk, after the above sweeping 
and dry-rubbing them, gives as beautiful a look, and they are 
less slippery. 



10. Method of Cleaning Paper-hangings.^ — Cut into eight 
half quarters a large loaf, two days old ; it must neither be 
newer nor staler. With one of these pieces, after having blown 
off all the dust from the paper to be cleaned, by means of a 
good pair of bellows, begin at the top of the room, holding the 
crust in the hand, and wiping lightly downward with the crumb, 
about half a yard at each stroke, till the upper part of the 
hangings is completely cleaned all round. Then go round again, 
with the like sweeping stroke downwards, always commencing 
each successive course a little higher than the upper stroke had 
extended, till the bottom be finished. This operation, if care- 
fully performed, will frequently make very old paper look al' 
most equal to new. 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 13 

Great caution must be used not by any means to rub the 
paper hard, nor to attempt cleaning it the cross, or horizontal 
way. The dirty part of the bread, too, must be each time cut 
away, and the pieces renewed as soon as it may become neces- 
sary. 



11. To clean Faint.-^'Never use a cloth, but take off the dust 
with a little long-haired brush, after blowing off the loose parts 
with the bellows. With care, paint will look well for a long 
time, if guarded from the influence of the sun. When soiled, 
dip a sponge or a bit of flannel into soda and water, wash it off 
quickly, and dry immediately, or the soda will eat off the color. 
Some persons use strong soap and water, instead. 

When the wainscot requires scouring, it should be done from 
the top downwards, and the water be prevented from running 
on the unclean parts as much as possible, or marks will be made 
which will appear after the whole is finished. One person 
should dry with old linen, as fast as the other has scoured off 
the dirt, and washed off the soap. 



12. To give to Boards a beautiful appearance, — After washing 
them very nicely with soda and warm water and a brush, w^ash 
them with a very large sponge and clean water. Both times 
observe to leave no spot untouched ; and clean straight up and 
down, not crossing from board to board ; then dry with clean 
cloths, rubbed hard up and down in the same way. 

The floors should not be often whetted, but very thoroughly 
when done ; and once a-week dry-rubbed with hot sand and a 
heavy brush the right way of the boards. 

The sides of stairs or passages on which are carpets or floor- 
cloths, should be washed with sponge instead of linen or flannel, 
and the edges will not be soiled. Different sponges should be 
kept for the above two uses; and those and the brushes should 
be well washed when done with, and kept in dry places. 



To extract Oil from Boards or Stone, — Make a strong ley of 
pearlashes and suft water, and add as much unslaked lime as 
it will take up ; stir it together, and then let it settle a fe\v 
minutes; bottle it, and stop close; have ready some water to 
lower it as used, and scour the part with it. If the liquor 
should lie long on the boards, it will draw out the color of them^ 
therefore do it with care and expedition. 



14. MRS. HALE'g RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLlOlf, 

13. To scour Boards, — -Mix together one part lime, three 
parts common sand, and two parts soft soap ; lay a little of this 
on the scrubbing-brush, and rub the board thoroughly. After- 
wards rinse with clean water, and dry with a clean coarse cloth. 
This will keep the boards a good color : it is also useful in keep- 
ing away vermin. For that object, early in the spring, beds 
should be taken down, and furniture in general removed and 
examined ; bed-hangings and window-curtains, if not washed, 
should be shaken and brushed ; and the joints of bedsteads, the 
backs of drawers, and indeed, every part of furniture, except 
polished mahogany, should be carefully cleaned with the above 
mixture, or with equal parts of lime and soft soap, without any 
sand. In old houses, where there are holes in the boards, which 
often abound with vermin, after scrubbing in, as far as the brush 
can reach, a thick plaster of the above should be spread over 
the holes, and covered with paper. When these things are time- 
ly attended to, and combined with general cleanliness, vermin 
may generally be kept away, even in crowded cities. 



14. To wash Stone Stairs and Halls, — Wash them first with 
hot water and a clean flannel, and then wash them over with 
pipe-clay mixed in water. When dry, rub them with a coarse 
flannel. 



15. To take Oil and Grease out of Floors and Stone Halls,-^ 
Make a strong infusion of potash with boiling water ; add to 
it as much quick-lime as will make it of the consistence of 
thick cream ; let it stand a night, then pour off* the clear part, 
which is to be bottled for use. When wanted, warm a little of 
it ; pour it upon the spots, and after it has. been on diem for a 
few minutes, scour it off* with warm water and soap, as it is 
apt to discolor the boards when left too long on them. When 
put upon stone, it is best to let it remain ail night ; and if the 
stain be a bad one, a little powdered hot lime may be put upon 
it before the infusion is poured on. 



16. To clean Marble, — Muriatic acid, either diluted or pure, 
as occasion may require, proves efficacious. If too strong, it 
will deprive the marble of its polish, which may be easily re- 
stored by the use of a piece of felt, with some powder of putty 
or tripoli, with either, making use of water. 



HOME AlfD ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 15 

17. To clean Marble, Another way, — Mix \ lb. of soft soap 
with the same of pounded whiting, 1 oz. of soda, and a piece 
of stone-blue the size of a walnut ; boil these together for \ of 
an hour; whilst hot, rub it over the marble with a piece of 
flannel, and leave it on for 24 hours ; then wash it off with clean 
water, and polish the marble with a piece of coarse flannel, or 
what is better, a piece of an old hat. 

18. To take Stains out of Marble, — Mix unslaked lime 
in finest powder with stringent soap-ley, pretty thick, and in- 
stantly with a painter's brush lay it on the whole of the marble* 
Jn two months' time wash it off" perfectly clean ; then have 
ready a fine thick lather of soft soap, boiled in soft water ; dip 
a brush in it, and scour the marble. This will, with very good 
rubbing, give a beautiful polish. 

19. To take Iron-stains out of Marble, — An equal quantity 
of fresh spirit of vitriol and lemon-juice being mixed in a bottle, 
shake it well ; wet the spots, and in a few minutes rub with 
soft linen till they disappear. 

20. Mixture for cleaning Stone Stairs, Hall Pavemerits, (kc. — 
Boil together half a pint each of size and stone-blue water, 
with two table-spoonfuls of whiting, and two cakes of pipe- 
makers' clay, in about two quarts of water. Wash the stones 
over with a flannel slightly wetted in this mixture; and when 
dry, rub them with flannel and a brush. Some persons recom- 
mend beer, but water' is much better for the purpose. 

21. To Color or Paper the Walls of Rooms, — If a ceiling or 
wall is to be whitewashed or colored, the first thing to be done is, 
to wash off* the dirt and stains with a brush and clean water, being 
careful to move the brush in one direction, up and down, and 
not all sorts of ways, or the work will look smeary afterwards. 
When dry, the ceiling is ready for whitewash, which is to be 
made by mixing whiting and water together, till quite smooth, 
and as thick as cream. Dissolve half-an-ounce of glue in a tea- 
cupful of water, stir it into the whitewash. This size^ as it is 
called, prevents the white or color rubbing off" the wall, and a 
teacupful is enough for a gallon of wash. Stone color is made 
by mixing a little yellow ochre and blue black with the size, and 
then stirring it into the whitewash ; yellow or red ochre are also 



16 MRS. bale's receipts for the MILLIOir. 

good colors, and, with vermilion or indigo, any shade may be 
prepared, according to taste. 

If paper is to be used, the wall must be w^ashed with clean 
water, as above explained ; and while wet, the old color must 
be scraped off with a knife, or a smooth-edged steel scraper of 
any sort. It will be best to wet a yard or two at a time, and 
then scrape. Next, wash the wall all over with size, made with 
an ounce of gl-ue to a gallon of water; and when this is dry, 
the wall is ready for the paper. This must be cut into lengths 
according to the different parts of the room; one edge of the 
plain strip must be cut off close to the pattern, and the other 
left half an inch wide. If the paper is thick, it should lie a 
minute or two after it is pasted ; but if thin, the sooner it is on 
the wall, the better. Begin by placing the close-cut edge of the 
paper at one side of the window, stick it securely to meet the 
ceiling, let it hang straight, and then press it down lightly and 
regularly with a clean cloth. The close-cut edge of the next 
length will cover the half-inch left on the first one, and so make 
a neat join ; and in this way you may go all round the room, 
and finish at the other side of the window. 



22. Damp Walls, — Damp may be prevented from exuding 
flrom walls by first drying them thoroughly, and then covering 
them with the follow^ing mixture : In a quart of linseed oil, boil 
three ounces oi litharge, and four ounces of resin. Apply this 
in successive coats, and it will form a hard varnish on the wall 
after the fifth coating. 



23. To clean Moreen Curtains, — Having removed the dust 
and clinging dirt as much as possible with a brush, lay the cur- 
tain on a large table, sprinkle on it a littJe bran, and rub it 
round with a piece of clean flannel ; when the bran and flannel 
become soiled, use fresh, and continue rubbing till the moreen 
looks bright, which it will do in a short time. 



24. To clean Calico Furniture, — Shake off the loose dust; 
then lightly brush with a smajl, long-haii^ed furniture-brush; 
after which wipe it closely with clean flannels, and rub it with 
dry bread. 

If properly done, the curtains will look nearly as w^ell as at 
first ; and, if the color be not light, they will not require wash- 
ing for years. 



nOMB AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS, 17 

Fold in large parcels, and put carefully by. 

While the furniture remains up, it should be preserved from 
the sun and air as much as possible, which injure delicate colors; 
and the dust may be blown off with bellows. 

By the above mode curtains may be kept clean, even to use 
with the linings newly dipped. 



25. Making Beds, — Close or press bedsteads are ill adapted 
for young persons or invalids ; when their use is unavoidable, 
the bed-clothes should be displaced every morning, and left for 
a short time before they are shut up. 

The windows of bed-rooms should be kept open for some 
hours every day, to carry off the effluvia from the bed-clothes ; 
the bed should also be shaken up, and the clothes spread about, 
in which state the longer they remain, the better. 

The bed being made, the clothes should not be tucked in at 
the sides or foot, as that prevents any further purification taking 
place, Ly the cool air passing through them. 

A warming-pan should be chosen without holes in the lid. 
About a yard of moderately-sized iron chain, made red hot and 
put into the pan, is a simple and excellent substitute for coals. 



26. To Detect Dampness in Beds, — Let the bed be well 
warmed, and immediately after the warming-pan is taken out, 
introduce between the sheets, in an inverted position, a clean 
glass goblet : after it has remained in that situation a few min- 
utes, examine it ; if found dry and not tarnished with steam, 
the bed is perfectly safe ; and vice versa. In the latter case, it 
will be best to sleep between the blankets. 



27. Beech-tree Leaves. — The leaves of the beech- tree, col- 
lectod at autumn, in dry weather, form an admirable article for 
filling beds for the poor. The smell is grateful and wholesome ; 
they do not harbor vermin, are very elastic, and may be replen- 
ished annually without cost. 



28. Useful Hints relative to Bed-clothes^ Mattresses^ Cushions^ 
itc. — The purity of feathers and wool employed for mattresses 
and cushions ought to be considered as a first object of salu- 
brity. Animal emanations may, under many circumstances, be 
prejudicial to the health ; but the danger is still greater, when 
2 



18 MRS. SALENS RECEIPTS FOR THB SfILLI02f. 

the wool is impregnated with sweat nf persons who have expe- 
rienced putrid and contagious diseases. Bed-clothes, and the 
wool of mattresses, therefore, cannot be too often beat, carded, 
cleaned, and washed. This is a caution which cannot bB too 
often recommended. 

It would be very easy in most situations, and very effectual, 
to fumigate them with muriatic gas. 



29. To clean Feathers of their Oil, — In each gallon of clean 
water mix a pound of quick-lime, and when the undissolved lime 
settles in fine powder, pour off the lime-water for use. Having 
put the feathers to be cleaned into a tub, pour the clear lime- 
water upon them, and stir them well about ; let them remain 
three or four days in the lime-water, which should then be sepa- 
rated from them by laying them in a sieve. The feathers should 
next be washed in clean water, and dried upon fine nets ; they 
will then only require beating, to get rid of the dust, previous 
to use. 

To restore the -spring of damaged feathers, it is only neces- 
sary to dip them in warm water for a short time. 



30. To purify Wool infested with Insects, — The process of 
purification consists in putting into three pints of boiling water 
a pound and a half of alum, and as much cream of tartar, which 
are diluted in twenty- three pints more of cold water. The wool 
is then left immersed in this liquor during some days, after 
which it is washed and dried. After this operation, it will no 
longer be subject to be attacked by insects. 

31. To clean Looking -glasses. — Keep for this purpose a piece 
of sponge, a cloth, and a silk handkerchief, S\\ entirely free from 
dirt, as the least grit will scratch the fine surface of the glass. 
First, sponge it with a little spirit of wine, or gin and water, 
so as to clean oflf all spots ; then, dust over it powder-blue, tied 
in muslin, rub it lightly and quickly off with the cloth, and fin- 
ish by rubbing it with the silk handkerchief. Be carefal not to 
rub the edges of the fiames. 



32. To preserve Gilding^ and clean it. — It is impossible to pre- 
vent flies from starning the gilding without covering it; before 
which, blow off the light dust, and pass a feather or clean brush 



HOME AND rrs EMPLOYMENTS. - 19 

over it, but never touch it with water; then, with strips of pa- 
per, or rather gauze, cover the frames of your glasses, and do 
not remove till the flies are gone. 

Linen takes off the gilding and deadens its brightness; it- 
should, therefore, never be used for wiping it. 

A good preventive against flies is, to boil three or four leeks 
in a pint of water, and then with a gilding-brush wash over the 
glasses and frames with the liquid, and the flies will not go near 
the articles so washed. This will not injure the frames in ^he 
least. Stains or spots may be removed by gently wiping them 
with cotton dipped in sweet oil. 



33. To retouch the ruhhed parts of a Picture-frame. — give the 
wood a coating of size made by dissolving isinglass with a weak 
spirit. When nearly dry, lay on some gold leaf; and polish, 
when quite dry, with an agate burnisher, or any similar 
substance. 



34. Furniture Oil, — Put into a jar one -pint of linseed oil 
into w^hich stir one ounce of powdered rose pink, and one ounce 
of alkanet root, beaten in a mortar : set the jar in a warm place 
for a few days, when the oil will be deeply colored, and the 
substances having settled, the oil may be poured ofl*, and will 
be excellent for darkening new mahogany. 

35. Furniture Paste, — Put turpentine into a glazed pot, and 
scrape beeswax into it, which stir about till the liquid is of the 
thickness of cream ; it will then be good for months, if kept 
clean ; and furniture cleaned with the liquid thus made, will not 
receive stains so readily as when the turpentine and wax are 
heated over the fire ; which plan is, besides, very dangerous ; 
but if the heating be preferred, place the vessel containing the 
wax and turpentine in another containing boiling water. 

36. French Polish for Furniture. — ^To one pint of spirits of 
wine, add half an ounce of gum-shellac, half an ounce of gum- 
lac, a quarXer of an ounce of gum-sandarac ; place the whole 
in a gentle heat, frequently shaking it, till the gums are dissolved, 
when it is fit for use. Make a roller of list, put a little of the 
polish upon it, and cover that with a piece of soft linen rag, 
which must be lightly touched with cold-drawn linseed oil. 
Rub the wood in a circular direction, not covering too large a 



20 - MES. hale's receipts for the million. 

space at a time, till the pores of the wood are sufficiently filled . 
up. After this, rub in the same manner spirits of wine, with 
a small portion of the polish added to it ; and a most brilliant 
polish will be produced. If the article should have been pol- 
. ished with wax, it will be necessary to clean it off with fine 
glass paper. 

87. Another Polish and Varnish, — The only way to preserve 
polish 011^ rosewood French-polished furniture, is to keep it con- 
tinually rubbed with a chamois leather and a silk handkerchief. 
We have no better remedy to offer for scratches on the wood 
than filling them in with a little oil covered with alkanet-root. 
The following varnish for furniture not French-polished, has 
been highly recommended : Melt one part of virgin white wax 
with eight parts of petroleum ; lay a slight coat of this mixture 
on the wood with a fine brush while warm ; the oil will then 
evaporate, and leave a thin coat of wax, which should after- 
wards be polished with a coarse woolen cloth. 

38. Polish for Dining Tables — Is to rub them with cold- 
drawn Unseed oil, thus : Put a little in the middle of a table, 
and then with a piece of linen (never use woolen) cloth rub it 
well all over the table ; then take another piece of linen and 
rub it for ten minutes, then rub it till quite dry with another 
cloth. This must be done every day for some months, when 
you will find your mahogany acquire a permanent and beauti- 
ful lustre, unattainable by any other means, and equal to the 
finest French polish ; and if the table is covered with the table- 
cloth only, the hottest dishes will make no impression upon it; 
and when once this polish is produced, it will only require dry 
rubbing with a linen cloth for about ten minutes, twice in a 
week, to preserve it in the highest perfection 7 which never fails 
to please your employers ; and remember, that to please others 
is always the surest way to profit yourself. 

If the appearance must be more immediately produced, take 
some Furniture Paste. 



39. Varnished Furniture, — This may be finished off so as to 
look equal to the best French polished wood, in the following 
manner, which is also suitable to other varnished surfaces. 
Take two ounces of Tripoli powder, put it into an earthen pot, 
with just enough water to cover it ; then take a piece of white 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 21 

flannel, lay it over a piece of cork or rubber, and proceed to polish 
the varnish, always wetting it with the Tripoli and water. It 
will be known when the process is finished by wiping a part of 
the work with a sponge, and observing whether there is a fair, 
even gloss. When this is the case, take a bit of mutton suet 
and fine flour, and clean the work. 

Frames of varnished wood may be cleaned to look new, by 
careful washing with a sponge and soap and water, but nothing 
stronger should be used. 

40. Varnish for Violins^ dc. — Take a gallon of rectified spir- 
its of wine, twelve ounces of mastic, and a pint of turpentine 
varnish ; put them all together in a tin can, and keep it in a very 
w^arm place, shaking it occasionally till it is perfectly dissolved ; 
then strain it, and it is fit for use. If you find it necessary, you 
may dilute it with turpentine varnish. This varnish is also 
very useful for furniture of plum-tree, mahogany, or rosewood. 

41. White Varnish. — The white varnish used for toys is made 
of sandarac, eight ounces ; mastic, tw o ounces ; Canada balsam, 
four ounces; alcohol, one quart. This is white, drying, and 
capable of being polished when hard. Another varnish for ob- 
jects of the toilet, such as woi-k-boxes, card-cases, &c., is made 
of gum sandarac, six ounces; elemi (genuine), four ounces: 
anime, one ounce ; camphor, half an ouncp ; rectified spirit, one 
quart. Melt slowly. These ingredients may, of course, be les- 
sened in proportion. 

42. To remove Ink-spots from Mahogany. — Drop on the spots 
a very small quantity of spirits of salt; rub it with a feather 
or piece of flannel, taking care not to let the spirit reach the fin- 
gers or clothes ; in four or five minutes, wash it off with water. 

Or, mix a teaspoonful of burnt alum, powdered, with a quar- 
ter of an ounce of oxalic acid, in half a pint of cold water ; to 
be used by wetting a rag with it, and rubbing it on the ink-spots. 

Or, crumple a piece of blotting-paper, so as to make it 
firm, wet it, and with it rub the ink-spot firmly and briskly, 
when it will disappear ; and the white mark from the operation 
may be immediately removed by rubbing it with a cloth. 

43. Or : — Dilute ^ a teaspoonful of oil of vitriol with a large 
spoonful of water, and touch the part with a feather; watch it, 
for if it stays too long, it will leave a white mark. It Ts, there- 
fore, better to rub it quickly, and repeat if not quite removed. 



22 MRS. bale's EECEIPTS FOK the MILLION' 

44. To clean Chairs. — Scrape down one or two ounces of 
beeswax, put it into a jar, and pour as much spirits of turpen- 
tine over it as will cover it : let it stand till dissolved. Put a 
little upon a flannel or bit of green baize, rub it upon the chairs, 
and polish them with a brush. A very small portion of finely- 
powdered white rosin may be mixed with the turpentine and 
wax. 



45. To clean and restore the Elasticity of Cane Chair Bot- 
toms, Couches, dc, — Turn up the chair bottom, &;c., and with 
hot water and a sponge wash the cane work well, so that it may 
be well soaked; should it be dirty, you must add soap ; let it 
dry in the air, and you will find it as tight and firm as when 
new, providing the cane is not broken, 

46. Blacking for Leather Seats^ dtc, — Beat well the yolks of 
two eggs, and the white of one ; mix a tablespoonful of gin and 
a teaspoonful of sugar, thicken it with ivory black, add it to the 
eggs, and use as common blacking ; the seats or ciishions being 
left a day or two to harden. 

47. — To prevent Hinges Creaking. — Rub them with soft soap, 
or a feather dipped in oil. 



48. Swallows^ I^^ests. — To prevent swallows building under 
eaves, or in window corners, rub the places with oil or soft soap. 

49. To clean Polished Grates and Irons. — Make into a paste 
with cold water, four pounds of putty-powder and one of finely- 
powdered whiting ; rub off carefully the spots from the irons, 
and with a dry clean duster rub the irons wiih the mixture al- 
w^ays in the same direction till bright and clear. Plain dry 
whiting will keep it highly polished if w^ell attended to every 
day. The putty mixture should be used only to remove spots. 

50. To clean the Back of the Grate, the inner Hearth, and the 
fronts of Cast-Iron Stoves. — Mix black lead and whites of eggs 

well beaten together; dip a painter's brush, and wet all over, 
then rub it bright with a hard brush. 

51. To remove the Black from the Bright Bars of Polished 
Stoves in a few minutes. — Rub them w^ell with some of the fol- 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 28 

lowing mixture on a bit of broadcloth ; when the dirt is removed^ 
wipe them clean, and polish with glass (not sand) paper. 

52. For Mixture : — Boil slowly one pound of soft soap in two 
quarts of w^ater to one quart. Of this jelly take three or four 
spoonfuls, and mix to a consistence with emery. 

53. To dean Bright Stoves, — There are many ways of clean- 
ing a stove, but if the ornamental parts be neglected, rust will 
soon disfigure the surface, and lead to incalculable trouble. 
Emery dust, moistened into a paste with sweet oil, should be 
kept in a little jar ; this should be applied on a bung, up and 
down, never crossways, until marks or burns disappear. A 
dry leather should then remove the oil, and a polish should af- 
terwards be given with putty powder on a dry clean leather. 

54. Another way to dean Grates -The best mixture for cleaning 
bright stove-grates is rotten-stone and sweet oil : they require 
constant attention, for, if rust be once suffered to make its ap- 
pearance, it will become a toil to efface it. Polished fire-irons, 
if not allowed to rust by neglect, will require merely rubbing 
with leather ; and the higher the polish, the less likely they are 
to rust. If the room be shut up for a time, and the grates be 
not used, to prevent their rusting, cover them with lime and 
sweet oil. 

Bright fenders are cleaned as stoves; cast-iron fenders require 
black lead ; they should not, however, be cleaned in the sitting- 
room, as the powdered lead may fly about and injure carpets 
and furniture. A good plan is to send cast-iron fenders to be 
bronzed or lackered by the iron-monger ; they will then only 
require brushing, to free the dust from the ornamental work. 
The bright top of a fender should be cleaned with* fine emery- 
paper. 



55. To prevent Fire-Irons becoming Rusty, — Rub them with 
sweet oil, arid dust over them unslaked lime. If they be rusty, 
oil them for two or three days, then wipe them dry, and polish 
with flour emery, powdered pumice-stone, or lime. A mixture 
of tripoli with half its quantity of sulphur, will also remove 
rust ; as will emery mixed with soft soap, boiled to a jelly. The 
last mixture is also used for removing the fire-marks from bright 
bars. 



24 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

56. To Col(yr the Backs of Chimneys with Lead Ore, — Clean 
them with a very strong brush, and carefully rub off the dust and 
rus^t ; pound about a quarter of a pound of lead ore into a fine 
powder, and put it into a vessel with half a pint of vinegar, 
then apply it to the back of the chimney with a brush. When 
it is made black with this liquid, take a dry brush, dip it in the 
same powder without vinegar ; then dry and rub it with this 
brush, till it becomes as shining as glass. 



57. To blacken the fronts of Stone Chimney-pieces , — Mix oil- 
varnish with lamp-black, and a little spirit of turpentine to thin 
it to the consistence of paint. Wash the stone with soap and 
water very clean ; then sponge it with clear water ; and when 
perfectly dry, brush it over twice with this color, letting it dry 
between the times. It looks extremely well. The lamp-black 
must be sifted first. 



58. Composition that will effectually prevent Iron, Steel, dc, 
from rusting, — This method consists in mixing, with fat oil var- 
nish, four-fifths of well rectified spirit of turpentine. The var- 
nish is to be applied by means of a sponge ; and articles varnished 
in this manlier will retain their metallic brilliancy, and never 
contract any spots of rust. It may be applied to copper, and 
to the preservation of philosophical instruments; which, by 
being brought into contact with water, are liable to lose their 
splendor, and become tarnished. 



59. To keep Arms and polished Metal from Rust, — Dissolve 
once ounce of camphor in two pounds of hog's lard, observing 
*o take offifche scum ; then mix as much black lead as will give 
the mixture an iron color. . Fire-arms, &c., "rubbed over with 
this mixture, and left with it on twenty-four hours, and then 
dried with a linen- cloth, will keep clean for many months. 



60. To preserve Irons from Rust, — Melt fresh mutton-suet, 
and smear over the iron with it while hot ; then dust it well with 
unslaked lime pounded and tied up in a muslin. Irons so pre- 
pared will keep many months. Use no oil for them but salad- 
oil, there being water in all other. 

Fire-irons should be wrapped in baize, and kept in a dry 
place, when not used. 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 25 

61, To prevent polished Hardware and Cutlery from talcing 
Rust. — Case-knives, snuffers, watch-chains, and other small ar- 
ticles made of steel, may be preserved from #ust, by being 
carefully wiped after use, and then wrapped in coarse brown 
paper, the virtue of which is such, that all hardware goods from 
Sheffield, Birmingham, &;c., are always wrapped in the same. 



62. Another way. — Beat into three pounds of fresh hog's-lard 
two drachms of camphor till it is dissolved; then add as much 
black lead as will make it the color of broken steel. Dip a rag 
in it, and rub it thick on the stove, (fee, and the steel will never 
rust, even if wet. When it is to be used, the grease must be 
washed off with hot water, and the steel be dried before polishing. 



63. To take Rust out of Steel, — Cover the steel with -sweet 
oil well rubbed on it, and in forty-eight hours use unslaked lime 
finely powdered, to rub until all the rust disappears. 

64. To clean Plate. — See that the plate is quite ire^ from 
grease, by having been washed, if necessary, in warm soap and 
water. Then mix some whiting with water, and with a sponge 
rub it well on the plate, which will take the tarnish off, making 
use of a brush not too hard, to clean the intricate parts. Next, 
take some rouge-powder, mix* it with water to about the thick- 
ness of cream, and with a small piece of leather (which should 
be kept for that purpose only) apply the rouge. This, with a 
little rubbing, will produce a most beautiful polish. This is the 
actual manner in which silversmiths clean their plate. 



65. The comnion method of cleaning Plate. — First wSsh it well 
whh soap and warm water ; when perfectly dry, mix together a 
little whiting and sweet oil, so as to make a soft paste; then 
take a piece of flannel, rub it on the plate, then with a leather, 
and plenty of dry whiting, rub it clean off again ; then with a 
clean leather and a brush, finish it. 



66. An easy way to clean Plate. — A flannel and soap, and soft 
water, with proper rubbing, will clean plate nicely. It should 
be wiped dry with a good-sized piece of soft leather. 



67. Plate Powder. — In most of the articles sold as plate pow- 



26 MRS. bale's receipts for ths million 

ders, under a variety of names, there is an injurious mixture of 
quicksilver, which is said sometimes so far to penetrate and ren- 
der silver brittle, that it will even break with a fall. Whiting, 
properly purified from sand, applied wet, and rubbed till dry, is 
one of the easiest, safest, and certainly the cheapest of all plate 
powders : jewelers and silversmiths, for small articles, seldom 
use any thing else. If, however, the plate be boiled a little in 
water, with an ounce of calcined hartshorn in powder to about 
three pints of water, then drained over the vessel in which it 
was boiled, and afterwards dried by the fire, while some soft linen 
rags are boiled in the liquid till they have wholly imbibed it ; 
these rags will, when dry, not only assist to clean the plate, 
which must afterwards be rubbed bright with leather, but also 
serve admirably for cleaning brass locks, finger-plates, &c. 



68. To cleanse Gold, — Wash the article in warm suds made 
of delicate soap and water, with ten or fifteen drops of sal- vola- 
tile. (The sal-volatile will render the metal brittle. This hint 
may be used or left at pleasure.) 



69. To clean Brass and Co^jper. — Rub it over slightly with a 
bit of flannel dipped in sweet oil ; next, rub it hard with another 
bit dipped in finely-powdered rotten stone ; then make it clean 
with a soft linen cloth, and finish by polishing it with a plate 
leather. 



70. Ohs, — The inside of brass or copper vessels should be 
scoured with fullers' earth and water, and set to dry, else the 
tinning will be injured. 



71. Another way to clean Brass and Copper, — Put one penny- 
worth of powdered rotten stone into a dry, clean quart bottle ; 
nearly fill it up with cold soft water; shake it well, and add one 
penny-worth of vitriol. Rub it on with a rag, and dry it with 
a clean, soft cloth, and then polish it with a plate-leather. This 
mixture will keep for a long time, and becomes better the longer 
it is kept. But the first method gives the most lasting polish, 
as well as the finest color. 



72. To clean Brass Ornaments, — Wash the ornament in a 
strong solution of boiled roche-alum, in the proportion of nn 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 27 

ounce to a pint of water. When dry, rub them with fine trip- 
oil powder. 

73. Polishing Paste for Britannia metal, tins, brasses, and 
coppers^ is composed of rotten-stone, soft soap, and oil of tur- 
pentine. 

The stone must be powdered and sifted through a muslin or 
hair sieve : mix with it as much soft soap as will bring it to 
the stiffness of putty : to about half a-pound of this, add two ozs. 
of oil of turpentine. It may be made up in balls, or put in gal- 
lipots ; it will soon become hard, and will keep any length of 
time. Method of using : — The articles to be polished should be 
perfectly freed from grease and dirt. Moisten a little of the 
paste with water, smear it over the metal, then rub briskly 
with dry rag or wash-leather, and it will soon bear a beautiful 
polish. 



74. To clean Britannia metal. — Rub the article with a piece 
of flannel moistened with sweet oil ; then apply a little pounded 
rotten-stone or polishing paste with the finger, till the polish is 
produced; then wash the article with soap and hot water, and. 
when dry, rub with. soft wash-leather, and a little fine whiting. 



75. To clean Pewter, — Scour it with fine white sand, and 
strong ley made with wood-ashes, soda, or pearl-ash ; then rinse 
the pewter in clean water, and set it to drain. The best method, 
however, is to use the oil of tartar and sand. 



76. To clean Tin Covers, — ^Get the finest whiting ; mix a little 
of it powdered with the least drop of sweet oil, rub the covers 
well with it, and wipe thera clean ; then dust over them some 
dry whiting in a muslin bag, and rub bright with dry leather. 
This last is to prevent rust, which the cook must guard against 
by wiping them dry, and putting them by the fire when they 
come from the parlor ; for if but once hung up damp, the inside 
will rust. 



77. Safe Method of cleaning Tea-urns, — In an earthen gallipot 
put one ounce of bees'-wax, cut up in small pieces ; set it by 
the fireside, until perfectly melted and quite hot, very near boil- 
ing heat ; remove the jar from the fire, and stir into it rather 



28 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

less than a table-spoonful of salad oil, and rather more than a 
table-spoonful of best spirits of turpentine; continue stirring 
till well mixed and nearly cold ; fill the urn with boiling water 
so as to make it thoroughly hot, apply a thin coating of the 
above mixture, and rub with a soft cloth, till -all stickiness is re- 
moved, then polish with a clean rag and a little crocus powder. 
N. B. — The crocus powder must be very fine, so as to sift 
through muslin. 



78. To clean Gilt or Lacquered Articles, — Brush them with 
warm soap and water, wipe them, and set them before the fire 
to dry ; finish with a soft cloth. By this simple means may be 
cleaned ormolu and French gilt candelabra, branches, and lamps; 
mosaic gold and gilt jewelry, toys and ornaments. Care is re- 
quisite in brushing the dirt from fine work, and finishing it quite 
dry. Any thing stronger than soap, as acids, pearl-ash, or soda, 
will be liable to remove the lacquer. 

To poll ah inlaid Brass Ornaments, — Mix powdered tiipoli and 
linseed oil, and dip in it a piece of hat, with which rub the brass ; 
then, if the wood be ebony, or dark rosewood, polish it with 
elder ashes in fine powder. 



79. Tb clean Lacquer, — Make a paste* of starch, one part; 
powdered rotten-stone, twelve parts ; sweet oil, two parts ; ox- 
alic acid, one part ; water to mix. 

80. To clean Door-plates, — To clean brass-plates on doors, so 
as not to injure the paint at the edges, cut the size of the plate 
out of a large piece of mill-board, place it against the door, and 
rub the plate with rotten-stone, or crot^us and sweet oil, upon 
leather. 



81. To clean Mother -o^ -pearl, — Wash in whiting and water. 
Soap destroys the brilliancy. 

82. To clean Ifnivcs and Forks, — Hold the knives straightly 
on the board, and pass them backward and forward in as straight 
a line as possible. Forks should be cleaned with a stick cov- 
ered with buff-leather, and finished with a brush. The best ar- 
ticle for cleaning isg^he powder of the well-known Flanders 
bricks^ 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 29 

83. Of Knife-hoards. — A knife-board properly made, should 
consist of an inch-deal-board, five feet long, with a hole at one 
end by which it is to be hung up when not in use. At this end, 
the left hand, and close to the front edge, should be fastened a 
stiff brush for cleaning forks. At the other end should be a 
box, with the open end towards the hand, and a sliding lid; this 
should contain a bath-brick, leathers for forks, &c., so that the 
materials for cleaning may be shut in and hung up with the 
board. 

Or, cover a smooth board ix^^ from knots, with thick buff- 
leather, on which spread, the thickness of a shilling, the follow- 
ing paste : — emery, one ounce ; crocus, three ounces ; mixed 
with lard or sweet oil. This composition will not only improve 
the polish, but also the edges of the knives. 

84. To re-fasten the loose handlei> of Knives and Forks, — 
Make a cement of common brick-dust and rosin, melted toge- 
ther. Seal-engravers understand this receipt. 

85. Metal Kettles and other Vessels. — The crust on boilers and 
kettles arises from the hardness of the water boiled in them. 
Its formation may be prevented by keeping in the vessel a mar- 
ble, or a potato tied in a piece of linen. 

Tin-plate vessels are cleanly and convenient ; but, unless care- 
fully dried after washing, they will soon rust in holes. 

Iron coal-scoops are liable to rust from the damp of the coals. 
' If cold water be thrown on cast-iron when hot (as the back 
of a grate), it will crack. Cast-iron articles are brittle, and can- 
not be repaired. 

The tinning of copper-saucepans should be kept perfect, clean, 
and dry : in which case they may be used with safety. 

Copper pans, if put away damp^ will become coated with 
poisonous crust, or verdigris, as will also a boiling-copper, if 
left wet. When used for cooking, and not properly cleaned, 
copper vessels have occasioned death to persons partaking of 
soup which had been warmed in a pan infected w^ith verdigiis. 

Untinned copper or brass vessels are at all times dangerous : 
it is absurd to suppose, that if the copper or brass pan be scoured 
bright and clean, there is little or no danger, for this makes but 
a trifling difference; such vessels for culinary purposes ought to 
be banished for ever from the kitchen. 

A polished silver or brass tea-urn will keep the water hotter 



30 MRS. bale's receipts for the MiLLIOK. 

than ore of a dull brown color, such as is most commonly used. 
The more of the surface of a kettle that is polished, the sooner 
will water boil in it, as the part coated with soot drives off ra» 
ther than retains heat. 

A polished metal tea-pot is preferable to one of earthenware; 
because the earthen pot retains the heat only one-eighth of the 
time that a silver or polished metal pot will ; consequently, the 
latter will best draw the tea. 

A German saucepan is best adapted for boiling milk in : this 
is a saucepan glazed with white earthenware, instead of being 
tinned in the usual manner ; the glaze prevents the tendency to 
burn, which, it is well known, milk possesses. 

A stewpan, made as the German saucepan, is preferable to a 
metal preserving-pan ; simple washing keeps it sweet and clean, 
and neither color nor flavor can by any chance be communi- 
cated to the article boiled in it. 

Ornamental furniture, inlaid with brass or buhl, should not 
be placed very near the fire, as the metal when it becomes 
warm expands, and, being then too large for the space in which 
it was laid, starts from the wood. 

" German silver" will not rust ; but it does not contain a par- 
ticle of silver, it being only white copper. If left in vinegar, or 
any acid mixture, it will become coated with verdigris. Salt 
should never be left in silver cellars, else the metal will be 
much injured. 



86. To clean Glasses, — Glasses should be first washed in 
warm clean soap-suds, and rinsed in fresh cold water ; wipe off 
the wet with one cloth, and finish them with another. 



87. Cleaning Decanters,— ^TYiO^o. enctusted with dregs of port 
wine, can be readily freed from stain by washing them with the 
refuse of the teapot, leaves and all. Dip the decanter into a 
vessel containing warm water, to prevent the hot tea-leaves 
fvom cracking the glass, then empty the teapot into the decan- 
ter, and shake it well. The tannin of the tea has a chemical 
affinity for the crust on the glass. 

88. To clean Decanters, — Put into them broken egg-shells, 
pieces of coarse brown or blotting paper, with pearlash, and 
nearly fill them with lukewarm water ; shake them well for a 
few minutes, or, if very dirty, leave them for some hours, when 



HOME A-SD ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 31 

rinse the decanters with cold water. The settlement of the 
crust of wine in decanters, may be best prevented by rinsing 
at night, with cold water, all the decanters used during the day. 
To clean the outer work of decanters, rub it with a damp sponge 
dipped in whiting ; then brush it well, rinse the vessel in cold 
water, drain, and finish with a fine dry cloth. 

89. To remove Crust from Glass. — It often happens that glass 
vessels used for flowers and other purposes, receive an unsight- 
ly crust hard to be removed by scouring. The best method is 
to wash itwith a little diluted spirit of salts, which will soon 
loosen it. 



90. To cleanse Bottles, — To cleanse bottles with bad smells, 
put into them pieces of blotting or brown paper, and fill up 
with water ; shake the bottles, and leave them for a day or two, 
when, if they be not sweetened, repeat the process, and rinse 
with pure water. 



91. To restore the Lustre of Glasses tarnished hy Age or Acci- 
dent, — Strew on them powdered fuller's-earth, carefully cleared 
from sand, (fee, and rub them carefully witft a linen cloth. Ox- 
ide of tin (putty) would perhaps be better. 



92. To clean China, — China is best cleaned, when very dirty, 
with finely-powdered fuller's-earth and warm water ; afterwards 
rinsing it well in clean water. A little clean soft soap may be 
added to the water instead of fuller's-earth. The same plan is 
recommended for cleaning glass. 



93. To clean Alabaster, — Remove any spots of grease with 
spirit of turpentine : then dip the article in water for about ten 
minutes, rub it with a painter's bru^ and let it dry ; finish by 
rubbing it with a soft brush dipped into dry and fine plaster of 
Paris, 



94. To bleach Ivory, — Ivory that has become discolored, may 
be brought to a pure whiteness by exposing it to the sun under 
glasses; having first brushed the. ivory with pumice-stone, burnt 
and made into a paste with water. To conceal the cracks in 
antique ivory, brush out the dust with waim water and soap, 
and then place the ivory under glass. It should be daily ex- 



32 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

posed to the sun, and turned from time to time, that it may 
become equally bleached. 



95. Glazed Vessels, — The glazing of stone ware is sometimes 
very imperfect: to test it, nearly fill the vessel with vinegar, 
into which put some fat of beef, salted ; boil for half an hour, 
and set it by for a day, when, if the glazing be imperfect, small 
black particles of lead will be seen at the bottom of the vessel. 



96. Use of Candle Snuffs for cleaning Glass, — Candle snuffs 
are generally thrown away as useless ; they are, however, of 
great utility for cleaning mirrors and windows, especially the 
former. For this purpose take a small quantity of the burnt 
snuffs and rub them with a soft cloth upon the surface of the 
mirror. In a short time a splendid polish will appear, superior 
to that obtained by other means. We know those who clean 
the whole of the windows in a large house with snuffs ; and we 
are told that not only are the windows cleaned much better but 
also much quicker than by the ordinary methods. 

A Razor Strop J^ste \s also made of candle-snuffs, and an- 
swers very well. It consists in simply rubbing a small quan- 
tity of the snuffs upon the strop ; this imparts a keener edge to 
the razor than when no such paste is employed. Mechi's cele- 
brated Magic Razor Strop Paste is certainly an excellent article, 
but we question whether it be much superior to the ordinary 
and common-place substance now recommended. 



97. To loosen the Glas$§S topples of Smelling Bottles and De- 
canters, — With a feather rub a drop or -two of olive oil round 
the stopple, close to the inouth of the bottle or decanter, which 
must be then placed befoi^ the fire, at the distance of a foot or 
eighteen inches ; in which position the heat will cause the oil to 
spread downward between the stopple and the neck. When 
the bottle or decanter has grown warm, gently strike the stop- 
ple on one side, and on the other, with any light wooden in- 
strument; then try it with the hand. If it will not yet move, 
place it again before the fire, adding, if you choose, another 
drop of oil. After a while strike again as before ; and by per- 
severing in this process, however tightly the stopple may be 
fastened in, you will at length succef^ in loosening it. 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 33 

98. Or, knocking the stopper gently with a piece of wood, 
first on one side, then on the other, will generally loosen it. 
If this method does not succeed, a cloth wetted with hot water 
and applied to the neck, will sometimes expand the glass suffi- 
ciently to allow the stopper to be easily withdrawn. 

99. Crockery and Glass. — Crockery and glass, to be used for 
holding hot water, are best seasoned by boiling them, by put- 
ting the articles in a saucepan of cold water over the fire, and 
letting the water just boil ; the saucepan should then be re- 
moved, and the articles should be allowed to remain in it till 
the water is cold. Some kind of pottery is best seasoned by 
soaking in cold water. 

Choose thin rather than thick glasses, as the thin glass is less 
likely to be broken by boiling water than that which is thicker; 
for, thin glass allows the heat to pass through it in least time. 
The safest plan is to pour boiling water very slowly into cold 
glasses. 

As boiling water will often break cold glass, so a cold liquid 
will break hot glass ; thus wine, if poured into decanters that 
have been placed before the fire, will frequently break them. 

Glass dishes and stands made in moulds are much cheaper 
than others, and they have a good appearance, if not placed 
near cut-glass. 

Lamp-glasses are often cracked by the flame being too high 
when they are first placed round it ; the only method of pre- 
venting which is to lower the flame before the glass is put on 
the lamp, and to raise the flame gradually as the glass heats. 



100. Polished Tea Urns preferable to varnished ones. — Pol- 
ished tea urns may be kept boiling with a much less expense 
of spirits of wine, than such as are varnished; and the cleaner 
and brighter the dishes, and covers for dishes, which are ust^d 
for bringing food to table, and for keeping it hot, the more cf 
fi'Ctually will they answer that purpose. 

101. Japanned CandlcsticJcs and Tea-Trays^ and Paper zvorlc. 
' — To remove grease from these, let the water be just warm 
enough to melt it; then wipe them with a cloth, and if they 
look smeared, sprhikle a little flour on them, and wipe it clean 
oif. Wax candles should not be burned in the candlesticks, as 
the wax cannot be taken oflT without injuring the varnish. 

3 



34 MRS. male's receipts for the MiLLicar. 

Paper work is liable to break if let fall, or if boiling water be 
poured on it. 

102. To dean Lamps, — Bronzed lamps should be wiped care- 
fully ; if oil be frequently spilled over them, it will cause the 
bronzing to be rubbed off sooner than it would disappear by 
wear. Brass lamps are best cleaned with crocus or rotten- 
stone and sweet oil. Lackered lamps may be washed with soap 
and water, but should not be touched with acid or very strong 
ley, else the lacker will soon come off. When lamps are foul 
inside, wash them with potash and water, rinse them well, set 
them before the fire, and be sure they are dry before oil is again 
put into them. 

Lamps will have a less disagreeable smell, if, before using, 
the cottons be dipped in hot vinegar, and dried. 

To clean ground-glass shades, wash the insides carefully with 
weak soap and water, lukewarm, rub them very lightly and dry 
with a soft cloth. 



103. To make economical Wicks for Lamps. — When using a 
lamp with a flat wick, if you take a piece of clean cotton stock- 
ing, it will answer the purpose as well as the cotton wicks 
which are sold in the shops. 



104. Wax Candles, — Should they get dirty and yellow, wet 
them with a piece of flannel dipped in spirits of wine. 



105. Blowing out a Candle. — There is one small fact in do- 
mestic economy which is not generally known, but which is 
useful, as saving time, trouble, and temper. If a candle be 
blown out holding it above you, the wick will not smoulder 
down, and may therefore be easily lighted again ; but if blown 
upon downwards, the contrary is the case. 



106. Plain Hints about Candles, — Candles improve by keep- 
ing a few months. Those made in winter are the best. The 
most economical, as well as the most convenient plan, is to 
purchase them by the box, keeping them always in a cool, dry 
place. If wax candles become discolored or soiled, they may 
be restored by rubbing them over with a clean flannel slightly 
dipped in spirits of wine. Candles are sometimes difficult to 
light. They will ignite instantly, if, when preparing them for 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 85 

the evening, you dip the top in spirits of wine, shortly before 
they are wanted. Light them always with a match, and do 
not hold them to the fire, as that will cause the tops to melt 
and drip. Always hold the match to the side of the wick, and 
not over the top. If you find the candles too small for the 
candlesticks, always wrap a small piece of white paper round 
the bottom end, not. allowing the paper to appear above the 
socket. Cut the wicks to a convenient length for lighting 
(nearly close) ; for if the wick is too long at the top, it will be 
very difficuk to ignite, and will also bend down, and set the 
candle to running. Glass receivers, for the droppings of can- 
dles, are very convenient, as well as ornamental. The pieces 
of candles that are left each evening should be placed in a tin 
box kept for that purpose, and used for bed lights. 

107. To make an imp'roved Candle. — Make the wicks about 
half the usual size, and wet them with spirits of turpentine ; 
dry them, before dipping, in the sunshine, or in some favorable 
place, and the candles will be more durable, emit a steadier 
and clearer blaze, and be in every way superior to those made 
in the ordinary way. 



108. Quicksilver, — Tallow will take up quicksilver. Vinegar 
kills it. 



109. Tog^ive any Close-grained Wood the appearance of Mahog- 
any, — The surface of the wood must first be planed smooth, and 
then rubbed with weak aquafortis ; after which it is to be finished 
with the following varnish : — To three pints of spirit of wine 
is to be added four ounces and a half of dragon's blood and an 
ounce of soda, which have been previously ground together ; 
after standing some: time, that the dragon's blood may dissolve, 
the varnish is to be strained, and laid on the wood with a soft 
brush. This process is to be repeated, and then the. wood pos- 
sesses the perfect appearance of mahogany. When the polish 
diminishes in brilliancy, it may be" speedily restored by rubbing 
the article with linseed oil. 



110. To Darken Mahogany, — Drop a nodule of lime in a ba- 
sin of water, and wash the mahogany with it. 



Ill, To make Imitation Rosewood, — Brush the wood over 
with a strong decoction of logwood, while hot ; repeat this pro- 



36 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

cess three or four times ; put a quantity of iron-filings amongst 
vinegar ; then with a flat open brush, made with a piece of 
cane, bruised at the end, or split with a knife, apply the solu- 
tion of iron-filings and vinegar to the wood in such a manner as 
to produce the fibres of the wood required. After it is dry, the 
wood must be polished with turpentine and bees'-wax. 

112. Imitation of Ebony, — Pale-colored woods are stained in 
imitation of ebony by washing them with, or steeping them in 
a strong decoction of logwood or galls, allowing them to dry, 
and then washing them over with a solution of the sulphate or 
acetate of iron. When dry, they are washed with clean water, 
and the process repeated, if required. They are, lastly, polished 
or varnished. 



113. Cheap Coloring for Rooms, — Boil any quantity of po- 
tatoes, bruise them, and pour on them boiling w^ater until a 
pretty thick mixture is obtained, w^iich is to be passed through 
a sieve ; then mix whiting with boiling w^ater, and add it to 
the potato mixture. To color it, add either of the ochres, lamp- 
black, &;c. 

114. Cheap Paint, — Tar mixed with yellow ochre makes an 
excellent green paint, for coarse wood- work, iron fencing, &;c. 

115. Weather-proof Composition. — Mix a quantity of sand 
with double the quantity of wood ashes, well sifted, and three 
times as much slackened lime ; grind these with linseed oil, and 
use the composition as paint; the first coat thin, the second 
thick ; and in a short time it will become so hard as to resist 
weather and time. 

Or, slake lime in tar, and into it dip sheets of the thickest 
brown paper, to be laid on in the manner of slating. 



116. Artificial Marble, — Soak in a solution of alum a quan 
tity of plaster of Paris. Bake it in an oven, and grind it to a 
powder. When wanted, mix it with water to about the consist- 
ency of plaster. It sets into an exceedingly hard composition, 
and takes a high polish. It may be mixed with various colored 
minerals or ochres to represent the various marbles, and is a 
valuable receipt. 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 87 

117. To give Wooden Stairs the Appearance of Stone. — Paint 
the stairs, step, by step, with white paint, mixed with strong 
drying oil. Strew it thick with silver sand. 

It ought to be thoroughly dry next jnorning, when the loose 
sand is to be swept off. The painting and sanding is to be re- 
peated, and when dry, the surface is to be done over with pipe- 
clay, whiting, and water ; which may be boiled in an old sauce- 
pan, and laid on wath a bit of flannel, not too thick, otherwise it 
will be apt to scale off. 

A penny cake of pipe-clay, which must be scraped, is the 
common proportion to half a lump of whiting. 

The pipe-clay and whiting is generally applied once a w^eek, 
but that might be done only as occasion requires. 

118. Lime for Cottage Walh^ikc, — Take a stone or two of un- 
slaked w^hite lime, and dissolve it in a pail of cold water. This, 
of course, is whitewash. The more lime used, the thicker it 
will be ; but the • consistence of cream is generally advisable. 
In another vessel dissolve some green vitriol in hot water. Add 
it, when dissolved, to the whitewash, and a buff is produced. 
The more vitriol used, the darker it will be. Stir it well up, 
and use it in the same way as whitewash, having first carefully 
got off all the old dirt from the walls. Two or three coats are 
usually given. For a border at top and base, use more vitriol, 
to make it darker than the walls. If you have stencil-plates, 
you can use it with them. This is cheap, does not rub off like 
ochre, and is pure and wholesome, besides being disinfecting. 

119. ^ White for Inside Painting^ which dries hi about four 
hours, and leaves no smelL — Take one gallon of soirits of tur 
pentine, and two pounds of frankincense ; let them simmer over 
a clear fire till dissolved, then strain and bottle it. Add one 
quart of this mixture' to a gallon of bleached linseed oil, shake 
them well together, and bottle them likewise. Grind any quan- 
tity of white-lead very fine with spirits of turpentine, then add 
a sufficient quantity of the last mixture to it, till you find it fit 
for laymg on. If it grows thick in working, it must be thinned 
with spirit of turpentine ; it gives a flat, or dead white. 

120. A Green Faint for Garden Stands, Trellisses, cfec— 
Take mineral green, and white lead ground in turpentine ; mix 
up the quantity you wish with a small quantity of turpentine- 



38 HRS. bale's receipts fo« the million. 

varnish ; this serves for the first coat ; for the second, put as 
much varnish in your mixture as will produce a good gloss ; if 
you desire a brighter green, add a small quantity of Prussian 
blue, which will much improve the beauty of the color. 

121. Cheap and heautiful Green, — The cost of this paint is 
less than one-fourth of oil color, and the beauty far superior. 
Take four pounds of Roman vitriol, and pour en it a tea-kettle- 
ful of boiling water ; when dissolved, add two pounds of pearl- 
ash, and stir the mixture well with a stick until the effervescence 
cease ; then add a quarter of a pound of pulverized arsenic, and 
stir the whole together. Lay it on with a paint brush, and if 
the wall has not been painted before, at least two, or even three 
coats, will be requisite. If a pea-green is required, put in less, 
and iif an apple-green, more, of the yellow arsenic. 

122. To Destroy the Smell of Fresh Paint, — Mix chloride of 
lime with water, with which damp some hay, and strew it upon 
the floor. 



123. To take the Smell of Paint from jRoom^,—hei three or 
four broad tubs, each containing about eight gallons of water, 
and one ounce of vitriolic acid, be placed in the new painted 
room near the wainscot ; this water will absorb and retain the 
effluvia from the paint in three days, but the water should be 
renewed each day during that time. 

124. To remove Unpleasant Odors, — ^The unpleasant smell of 
new paint is best removed by time and atmospheric ventilation ; 
but tubs of water placed in the apartment, will act more rapid- 
ly ; with this inconvenience, however, that-the gloss of the paint 
will be destroyed. Unpleasant smells from water-closets, or 
all articles of furniture connected with them, may be modified 
by the application of lime-water, to which may be added the 
soap-suds that have been used in washing, which neutralize the 
pungently offensive salts ; a little quick-lime put into a night- 
chair will destroy all disagreeable effluvia. Aromatic pastiles 
of the following composition may be burned with great success : 
take of camphor, flowers of benzoin, powdered charcoal, pow- 
dered cascarilla bark, powdered Turkey myrrh, and powdered 
nitre, each equal quantities ; beat them with syrup sufficient to 
form a mass, and divide into pastiles of a conical shape. They 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. ^ 

may be mixed up with spirit of turpentine (the rectified oil) or 
anything that is inflammable. Syrup does best, as it is most 
adhesive. 



125. To 'prevent disagreeable Smells from Privies^ Night Chairs^ < 
dtc, — Milk of lime (water in which lime has been slaked, and 
which is whitened by the fine particles of that substance) must 
be mixed with a ley of ashes, or soapy water that has been 
used in washing, then thrown into the sink of the privy ; it will 
destroy the offensive smell. By these means, for the value of a 
few pence, any collection of filth whatever may be neutralized. 

For the night-chair of sick persons, put within the vessel 
half a pound of quicklime, half an ounce of powdered sal-am- 
moniac, and water one pint : this will prevent any disagreeable 
odor. 



126. Remarks, — rQuicklime, or even lime just slaked, answers 
the purpose without any addition. It is the only thing used in 
camps, particularly in hot countries, to keep the ditches from 
creating contagion. 

127. To clean Books or Prints, — Ink spots may be removed 
by oxalic acid dissolved in water, and carefully applied with a 
hair pencil. To remove oil or grease, warm the spot, lay over 
it blotting paper, and upon it the heated blade of a knife, when 
the blotting-paper will absorb the grease ; then apply spirits of 
turpentine, with a hair pencil, and restore the whiteness of the 
paper with spirits of wine. 



128. To preserve Books, — A few drops of any perfumed oil 
will secure libraries from the consuming effects of mouldiness 
and damp. Russian leather which is perfumed with the tar of 
the birch-tree, never moulds ; and merchants suffer large bales 
of this article to lie in the London Docks in the most careless 
manner, knowing that it cannot sustain any injury from damp. 



129. To clean Oil Paintings, — Clean the picture well with a 
sponge, dipped in warm beer ; after it has become perfectly dry, 
wash it with a solution of the finest gum-dragon, dissolved in 
pure water. Never use blue starch, which tarnishes and eats 
out the coloring ; nor white of eggs, which casts a thick varnish 
over pictures, and only mends bad ones by concealing the faults 
of the coloring. 



40 MBS. HALE's receipts fob THH MIIfLION. 

130. To Light a Coal Fire, — A considerable saving of time and 
trouble might often be effected, if housemaids would attend to 
the following rales in lighting a fire : — Clear the grate well from 
ashes and cinders ; then lay at the bottom of it a few lumps of 
afresh coal^ about the size of ducks' eggs, so as not wholly to ob- 
struct the air passing between the bars on which they are placed. 
This done, put a small quantity of waste paper or shavings next 
upon the coal ; then a few sticks or pieces of split wood placed 
carefully above it, so that they may not project between the 
bars ; then a layer of the cinders you have before taken from the 
grate ; and next a few lumps of coal on the top. Take care to 
complete this process before applying the light, which may easily 
be done afterwards by means of a lucifer match, and you will 
seldom fail to have a good fire in a few minutes. 

Nothing is easier than to light a fire in the way here recom- 
mended, but the coals and cinders must be laid in place by 
hand, and not thrown in anyhow with the shovel. If the kin- 
dling wood be green or damp, it should be dried over night, as 
a more miserable task cannot be attempted than to light a fire 
with damp materials. 



131. Another Way, — ^To light a fire from one already kindled, 
put three or four pieces of charcoal between the bars of the 
grate ; then lay a few pieces of fresh coal upon the bottom of 
the grate in which the second fire is to be made, and place upon' 
them, crosswise, the lighted pieces of charcoal ; cover them with 
pieces of fresh coal, and blow them with the hand-bellows, 
when the charcoal will set fire to the fresh coal, and a brisk fire 
will be made in a few minutes. On the contrary, if we light a 
fii'e with wood, some time must elapse before it can safely be 
blown. 



132. Economy in Fuel. — A saving of nearly one-third of the 
coal consumed may be made by the following easy means : — 
Let the coal ashes, which are usually thrown into the dust bin, 
be preserved in a corner of the coal hole, and make your ser- 
vants add to them from your coal heap an equal part of the 
small coal or slack, w^hich is too small to be retained in the 
grate, and pour a small quantity of water upon -the mixture. 
When you make up your fire, place a few round coals in front, 
and throw some of this mixture behind ; it saves the trouble of 
sifting your ashes, gives a warm and pleasant fire, and a very 
small part only will remain unburn t. 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 41 

133. Fire Balls, — Mix one bushel of small ooal, or saw-dust, 
or both, with two bushels of sand, and one bushel and a half 
of clay ; make the mixture into balls with water, and pile them 
in a dry place, to harden them. A fire cannot be lighted with 
these balls ; but when it burns strong, put them on above the 
top bar, and they will keep up a strong heat. 



134. To prevent the ill effects of Charcoal, — Set over the burn- 
ing charcoal a vessel of boiling w^ater, the steam of which will 
prevent danger from the fumes. . 



135. Method of sweeping Chimneys without employing ChiU 
dren^ and the danger attending the old Method pointed out. — Pro- 
cure a rope for the purpose, twice the length of the height of 
the chimney ; to the middle of it tie a bush (broom furze, or 
any other), of sufficient size to fill the chimney ; put one end of 
the rope down the chimney (if there be any windings in it, tie 
a bullet or round stone to the end of the rope), and introduce 
the wood end of the bush after the rope has descended into the 
chamber ; then let a person pull it down. The bush, by the 
elasticity of its twigs, brushes the sides of the chimney as it de- 
scends, and carries the soot with it. If necessary, the person at 
the top, who has hold of the other end of the rop *^ draws the 
bush up again ; but, in this case, the person below must turn 
the bush, to send the wood end foremost, before he calls to the 
person at top to pull it up. 

Many people, who are silent to the calls of humanity, are 
yet attentive to the voice of interest: chimneys cleansed in this 
way never need a tenth part of the repairs required where they 
are swept by children, who being obliged to work themselves 
up by pressing with their feet and knees on one side, and their 
back on the other, often force out the bricks which divide the 
chimneys. This is one of the causes why, in many houses, a 
fire in one apartment always fills the adjoining ones with smoke, 
and sometimes even the neighboring house. Nay, some houses 
have even been burnt by this means ; for a foul chimney, tak- 
ing fire, has been frequently known to communicate, by these 
apertures, to empty apartments, or to apartments filled with 
timber, where, of course, it was not thought necessary to make 
any examination, after extinguishing the fire in the chimney 
where it began. 



4:2 MRS. HALE's RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

136. To revive a dull Fire, — Powdered nitre, strewed on the 
fire, is the best bellows that can be used. 



137. Fires, Stoves, &c. — It is wasteful to wet small coal, 
though it is commonly thought to make a fire last longer : in 
truth, it wastes the heat, and for a time makes a bad fire. 

A close stove intended to warm an apartment should not 
have a polished surface, else it will keep in the heat ; whereas, 
if of rough and unpolished cast iron, the heat will be dispersed 
through the room. 

Long, shallow grates, are uneconomical, as the body of the 
coal in them is not soon heated, and requires to be oftener re- 
plenished to keep up the fire. 

A good fire should be bright without being too hot : the best 
and quickest mode of making up a neglected fire is to stir out 
the ashes, and with the tongs fill up the spaces between the 
bars with cinders or half-burnt coals : this method will soon 
produce a glowing fire. If coke can be mixed with coals, the 
fire will require extra attention ; coke, however, makes too 
much dust for fires in the best rooms. 



138. Water » — Hard water by boiling may be brought nearly 
to the stat^ of soft. A piece of chalk put into spring water will 
soften it. 

Rain, or the softest water, is better adapted than any other 
for washing and cleaning ; but it must be filtered for drinking 
in large towns, as it becomes impure from the roofs and plaster 
of houses. The best water has the greatest number of air bub- 
bles when poured into a glass. Hard water will become thick 
and foul sooner than soft water. 



139. To purify Water for drinking, — Filter river water 
through a sponge, more or less compressed, instead of stone or 
sand, by which the water is not only rendered more clear, but 
wholesome ; for sand is insensibly dissolved by the water, so 
that in four or five years it will have lost a fifth part of its 
weight. Powder of charcoal should be added to the sponge 
when the water is foul, or fetid. Those who examine the large 
quantity of terrene matter on the inside of tea-kettles will be 
convinced all water should be boiled before dvunk. 



140. Or, take a large flower-pot, and put either a piece of 
sponge or some cleanly-washed moss over tb<i hole at the bot- 



HOMB AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 43 

torn. Fill the pot three-quarters with a mixture of equal parts 
of clean sharp sand, and charcoal in pieces the size of .peas. On 
this lay a piece of linen or woollen cloth, large enough to hang 
over the sides of the pot. Pour the water to be filtered into the 
basin formed by the cloth, and it will come out pure through the 
Bponge or moss at the bottom. 



141. To purify River ^ or Muddy Water. — Dissolve half an 
ounce of alum in a pint of warm water, and stirring it about in 
a puncheon of water from the river, all the impurities will soon 
settle to the bottom, and in a day or two it will become quite 
clear. 



142. To purify muddy Water of Rivers or Pits, — Make a 
number of holes in the bottom of a deep tub ; lay some clean 
gravel thereon, and above this some clean sand ; sink this tub 
in the river or pit, so that only a few inches of the tub will be 
above the surface of the water ; the river or pit water will filter 
through the sand, and rise clear through it to the level of the 
water on the outside, and will be pure and limpid. 



143. Method of makiny putrid Water sweet in a JViyhfs Tiine. 
— Four large spoonfuls of unslaked lime put into a puncheon 
of ninety gallons of putrid water, at sea, will, in one night, 
make it as clear and sweet as the best spring water just drawn : 
but unless the water is afterwards ventilated sufficiently to car- 
bonize the lime, it will be a lime water. Three ounces of pure 
unslaked lime should saturate ninety gallons of water. 



144. Lead Cisterns. — Lead Cisterns are unsafe to hold water 
for culinary purposes : if the water has stood in them several 
days undisturbed, a small white coating may be observed at 
the upper edge of the water ; on any addition of water, this 
coating is washed off, and if there be the slightest acidity in the 
vessel, this coating will be dissolved in the water, and thus a 
poison be conveyed into the stomach. To prevent this, the 
msides of lead cisterns should be occasionally examined and 
cleared out. 



145. To prevent the freezing of Water in Pipes in the Winter 
Time, — By tying up the ball-cock with straw or flannel during 



44 MRS. HALE*S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

the frost, the freezing of pipes will often be prevented ; in fact, 
it will always be prevented where the main pipe is higher than 
the cistern or other reservoir, and the pipe is laid in a regular 
inclination from one to the other, for then no water can remain 
in the pipe ; or if the main is lower than the cistern, and the 
pipe regularly inclines, upon the supply's ceasing, the pipe 
will immediately exhaust itself. When water is in the pipes, 
if each cock be left a little dripping, the circulation of the water 
will prevent its freezing in the pipes. 

146. To 'preserve Water and Meat from Putrefoxtion in long 
Voyages. — The crews of two Eussian ships, which sailed round 
the world, were extremely healthy. During the whole three 
years of their voyage only two men died of the crew of the 
Neva, and the Naveshda did not lose a single man. It is 
known that their fresh water was preserved in charred casks, 
but it is not so generally known that they used the same pre- 
caution for preserving their salted provisions. The beef they 
carried out with them tasted as pleasantly upon their return, 
as it did three years before, when first salted. 

147. To make Sea-water fit for washing Linen, — Soda put 
into sea-water renders it turbid ; the lime and magnesia fall to 
the bottom. Therefore, to make sea-water fit for washing linen, 
put in soda enough as not only to effect a precipitation of these 
earths, but to render the water sufficiently alkaline. 



148. Steam, — When the steam from a tea-kettle appears 
cloudy, it should be taken from the fire, as the water is then fast 
boiling away ; the steam when the water first boils being quite 
transparent, so as scarcely to be seen near the mouth of the 
spout. The top of the kettle should be kept bright, as a pol- 
ished surface keeps in the heat. 



149. To clean a Carriage. — Wash the body and wheels with 
a mop, brush, and plenty of water. Then blacken and clean 
all the straps and leather, first cleaning the brass or other orna- 
ments as those on harness. Next brush the inside lining, clean 
the glasses, and clean and trim the lamps. Stains may be re- 
moved from panels by rubbing them with sweet oil on baize. 
The wheels should be occasionally greased or oiled, and the 
linchpins examined. 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 45 

150. For Coach Wheels. — Melt over a slow fire one pound 
of lard, and half a pound of black lead in powder, stirring them, 
well ; remove the mixture from the fire, and stir till cold. 



151. Harness Makers^ Jet — Take one drachm of indigo, a 
quarter of an ounce of isinglass, half an ounce of soft soap, four 
ounces of glue, one pennyworth of logwood raspings, and. one 
quart of vinegar ; boil the whole together over a slow fire, till 
reduced to one pint. A small quantity is then to be taken up 
on a piece of clean sponge, and thinly applied to harness, boots, 
&c., taking care that they are previously well cleaned. 

N.B. — A small quantity of sulphate of iron (green vitriol) 
would perhaps greatly improve this. 



152. To clean Hai-ness, — Having washed off the wet dirt, 
sponge the harness clean, and hang it up to dry. Next, brush 
it with a dry, hard brush, and clean the brass ornaments. 

For this purpose, mix a quarter of a pint of turpentine, with 
two uunces of rotten-stone, two ounces of finely-powdered char- 
coal, and a quarter of a pint of droppings of sweet oil ; apply 
this paste with leather, and polish it oft' with powdered char- 
coal. 

Or, clean the brass ornaments with the following mixture, 
which is used in the- Royal Mews: dissolve one ounce of oxalic 
acid in a pint of water, to which add a pint of naphtha. To give 
the brass-work a fine color, powder some sal-ammoniac, moisten 
it with water, and rub it upon the ornaments ; then heat them 
over charcoal, and polish with dried bran and whiting. 

Or, wash the brass-work with a strong solution of roche alum, 
and polish it with tripoli. 

To restore the color of harness, clean it, and brush over it 
the following mixture : — boil half a pound of logwood chips in 
three quarts of soft water, to which add three ounces of galls 
bruised and one ounce of alum. 



153. Oiling Old Leather, — A practice is common of wetting 
harness, &c., before it is to be oiled, under the idea that it soaks 
in the oil better for wetting. No two things are less capable 
of union than oil and water. The leather appears soft after the 
above practice, but a dry day will soon show how hard the 
leather becomes when the water it has imbibed has evaporated, 
and how rotten the heart of the leather is, although the outside 



46 MRS. HALE'S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

appears yet oily. If leather be dry and then oiled, the quantity 
of oil consumed will tell whether the leather has absorbed the 
oil or not. If it have, it will last for years, if it be oiled thor- 
oughly every spring. The most durable stuff to nail up garden 
trees, is leather soaked in oil, and then drained before use. Old 
shoes and harness will thus be of use when no longer of service 
to the body. 



154. General Washing, — Counterpanes, blankets, bed-hang- 
ings, &c., should be washed in summer, as they will then dry 
quickly, and be of good color. 

By putting linen and cotton stockings to soak the night before 
they are to be v/ashed, much soap and labor will be saved. 

If clothes remain long dirty, they will not only require more 
soap and labor, but be much injured in washing, 

155. Washing Preparation, — Half a pound of soap ; half a 
pound of soda ; quarter of a pound of quicJc-WniQ. Cut up the 
soap and dissolve it in half a gallon of boiling water ; pour half 
a gallon of boiling water over the soda ; and enough boiling 
water over the quick-lime to cover it. The lime must be quick 
and fresh ; if quick, it will bubble up when the hot water is 
poured over it. Prepare each of these in separate Vessels. Put 
the dissolved lime and soda together, and boil them for twenty 
minutes. Then pour them into a jar to settle. 

Another method of making this preparation is — Instead of 
preparing each of the articles by themselves, dissolve over 
night half a pound of soda in one gallon of boiling water, pour 
it on the lime, and let it settle ; cut up the soap, and pour the 
clear water from the lime and soda upon it. in the morning it 
will be a dissolved mass, fit for use. In this way the twenty 
minutes' boiling of the lime and soda is dispensed with. 

In either of these processes white or common yellow soap 
may be used. But the lime should be white and quick. If it 
does not bubble and hiss when the water is poured on it, it is 
unfit for use. 

This preparation contains nothing injurious to the linen. It 
has been proved by trial that if the directions are rightly fol- 
lowed, it is less destructive than the old method. 



156. How to proceed after having made the Preparation. — Set 
aside the flannels and colored things, as they must 7iot be washed 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS, 47 

in this way. They may be washed in the usual way while tho 
others are boiling. 

The night before, the collars and wristbands of shirts, the 
feet of stockings, &c., should be rubbed well with soap and set 
to soak. 

In the morning pour ten gallons of water into the copper, 
and having strained the mixture of lime and soda well, taking 
great care not to disturb the settlings, put it, together with the 
soap, into the water, and make the whole boil before putting in 
the clothes. A plate should be placed at the bottom of the 
copper to prevent the clothes from burning. 

Boil each lot of clothes from half an hour to an hour. Then 
rinse them well in cold blue water. When dry they will be 
beautifully white. 

The same water will do for three lots. Wash the finer things 
first. 

After having been used for the clothes, the mixture may be 
employed for cleaning silver, brass, or any other kind of metal ; 
which should afterwards be dried and polished with leather. 
The liquid may also be used for scouring floors, or cleaning 
paint. 

157. To make >5torcA.— Dissolve as much starch as will be 
required in a very small quantity of cold water ; then pour boil- 
ing water on it till it is of the right consistency, and let it boil 
once or twice. 

In mixing starchy put a lump of sugar in it to prevent it from 
sticking to the iron. Stirring the starch for a minute with a 
sperm candle improves it when it is wanted for shirt bosoms 
or collars. 



158. Gum Arabic Starch — Get two ounces of fine white gum 
arabic, and pound it to powder. Next put it into a pitcher, 
and pour on it a pint or more of boiling water, (according to 
the degree of strength you desire,) and then having covered it, 
let it set all night. In the morning, pour it carefully from the 
dregs into a clean bottle, cork it, and keep it for use. A table- 
spoonful of gum water stirred into a pint of starch that has been 
made in the usual manner, will give to lawns (either white or 
printed) a look of newness to which nothing else can restore them 
after washing. It is also good (much diluted) for thin white 
muslin and bobbinet. 



48 MRS. HALE'S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

159. To keep Muslins of a good Color. — Never wash muslins 
or any kind of white cotton goods, with linen ; for the latter 
deposits or discharges a gum and coloring matter every time it 
is washed, which discolors and dyes the cotton. Wash them by 
themselves. 



160. To wash Flannels, — Flannels should be washed in soft 
water, soap, and much blue. The water should be as hot as 
the hands will bear; wring them as dry as possible, shake them 
and hang them out ; but do not rinse them after the lather. 



161. To make Flannels not shrink. — The first time of washing 
put them into a pail of boiling water, and let them lie till cold. 

162. To scour Flamiels.— -Slice half a pound of yellow soap, 
and dissolve it in boiling water, so as to make it of the thick- 
ness of oil ; cover the flannels with warm water, add a lump of 
pearlash, and about one-third of the soap-solution ; beat them 
till no head rises on the water; then pour it off, and proceecL 
as before with hotter water, without pearlash. 



163. To wash Woollens. — Use soft water; and, in order to 
make a lather, put half a pound of soap into a gallon of water, 
(or as much more in proportion as is necessary,) and boil it 
until the soap is dissolved; wash through two waters, (unless 
one is found sufficient,) as warm as can be borne, adding, as 
you go on, what quantity of the soap-water is needed; wring 
them out each time ; then throw them into a rinsing-tub, and 
fill, to covering, with boiling water. Let them remain until 
cool enough to admit of handling, then proceed to rinse well, 
and wring them. 

N.B. — Observe, the rinsing-water must be hard water — this 
is the secret. This method will do for any kinds of woollens; 
but for large and strong, such as blankets, or carpets, &;c., per- 
haps wringing would be better omitted, and in all cases, care 
should be taken to spread out the articles straight and smooth. 



164. Drying Clothes. — If the weather be favorable, the dry- 
ing may be best finished in the open air ; but if the weather be 
damp or doubtful, the article should be, without delay, spread 
before a fire, or hung in an apartment where there is a strong 
current of air. A dry cloth should be placed on the line hedge, 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 40 

or horse, and the woollen article spread upon it. The more 
quickly the drying can be accomplished the better. For this 
reason, settled dry weather should be chosen for this kind of 
work ; if windy, all the better. 



165. Family Washing, — [The following method, tnough 
not generally known, is much practiced in many families.] 
Melt together haif a pound each of washing soda and of soap 
cuttings, mix well with sixteen gallons of water, pour it luke- 
warm over the dirty linen, and leave to soak for twenty-four 
hours. Drain this water from the clothes, and put them into a 
boiler, with a second supply of the same preparation cold, and 
Jet them boil for rather a longer time than if they had been pre- 
viously washed. They will then require to be washed out in 
clean, warm water, looking carefully over them that the parts 
requiring it may be rubbed; afterwards rinse in the usual way. 
This direction applies to all white and brown-holland articles. 
Bobbinet, and lace, retain their color best, if only scalded^ not 
boiled. This mode of washing has been adoptedfor many years 
in a family of seven persons; the linen is of an excellent color, 
with only half the assistance formerly required, and the quan- 
tity of soap used is much lessened. 

N. B. The refuse water is a good manure for fruit trees. 



166. Substitutes for Soap, — Put any quantity of pearl-ash or 
soda into a large jar, cover it lightly, and in a few days it will 
become liquid ; then mix with it an equal quantity of newly- 
slaked lime, and double its quantity of soft water: boil it half 
an houF, add as much more hot water, and pour off the liquor. 

Two ounces of pearl-ash, used with a pound and a half of 
soap, will effect a considerable saving. 

For coarse purposes, soft soap is a saving of nearly one-half. 
The most economical plan of keeping hard soap, is to cut it into 
pieces of about a pound each, and keep it moderately dry. 

A little pipe-clay dissolved in the water, or rubbed with the 
soap on the clothes, will give the dirtiest linen the appearance 
of having been bjeached ; it will also clean them with about 
half the labor, and a saving of full one-fourth of the soap. Pipe- 
clay will also render hard water nearly as soft as rain-water. 

Carpets, moreen curtains, or other woollen goods, may be 

cleaned with the coarse pulp of potatoes, used as a kind of soap. 

4 



/ 



50 MRS. HALE'S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

167. Horse-chestnut Soap, — It is not generally known that the 
horse-chestnut contains a soapy juice, not only useful in bleach- 
ing, but in washing linens and stuffs. The nuts must be peeled 
and ground, and the meal of twenty of them will be sufficient 
to mix with ten quarts of hot water, with which the clothes may 
be w^ashed without soap ; the clothes should then be rinsed in 
spring-water. The same meal being steeped in hot water, and 
mixed with an equal quantity of bran,. will make a nutritious 
food for poultry. 



168. To wash a Cotton Counterpane, — Slice a pound of mottled 
soap, dissolve it in a pailful of boiling water, and add a small 
lump of pearl-ash ; next, put the counterpane into warm water, 
with a bowl of the soap-solution, beat it and turn it, wash it in a 
second liquor, and rinse it in cold water ; then put three tea- 
spoonfuls of liquid blue into a thin liquor, stir together, and 
put in the counterpane ; beat it a few minutes, and dry it in the 
air. 



169. To wash Silk Stockings^ White and Blaclc. — Cut in thin 
bits some white soap, and boil it in soft water ; pour a little of 
it among cold, soft water, and wash the stockings, first upon the 
inner side ; repeat the washing with fresh suds and water, till 
they are washed quite clean ; turn the outside the last time of 
washing, and if the feet be very dirty, rub a little of the boiled 
soap upon them, but not upon the legs. • I£ to be colored, mix 
the dye with a little clean suds, and dip in the white stockings ; 
draw them out smooth, and lay them upon a sheet on a bed, 
with the window open, and when almost dry, lay them upon a 
piece of flannel, and with another bit rolled up, rub thdm hard 
and quick one way till they are dry. 

170. To wash Tliread Stockings and Gloves, — Fine thread- 
stockings and gloves should be well soaped, put into a lather 
of cold water, and boiled; they should then be put into a fresh, 
cold lather, and be boiled again ; when, on taking them out, 
they will require little more than rinsing. 

171. To wash Cotton Stockings, — Lay them in cold water at 
night ; next day boil them in a copper with some soda and soap ; 
stir them well about, and they will become quite clean without 
any rubbing ; rinse them well in cold water, and bleach them ; 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 51 

when nearly dry, draw them smooth, folding them straight over 
the instep. Place them under a heavy weight, or iron them. 

172. To wash Cotton Bed-furniture^ and printed Calicoes in 
general. — 1. Get rid of as much dirt as possible, by brushing 
and shaking. 

2. Do not let the dirty things lie about in a damp wash-house, 
or in any way become damp before they are fairly wetted. 

3. On no account use a particle of soda, pearl-ash, or any 
thing of the kind. 

4. Allow plenty of water, and plenty of room in. the tub. 

5. Use soft water, no hotter than would be pleasant for wash- 
ing the hands. 

6. Rub with soap in the ordinary way. Mottled soap is pre- 
ferable to yellow. If a general wash is about, the liquor in 
which flannels have been washed the second time, does very well 
for the first washing of colored things ; or that in which muslins 
have been washed a second time, provided no soda or anything 

■ else of the kind was used. 

7. When the first washing is completed, have ready another 
tub with water of the same degree of warmth, into which put 
each piece immediately on wringing it out of the first liquor * 

8. Repeat the process of washing in the second liquor, care- 
fully observing that every part is clean. 

9. On wringing out of the second liquor, immediately plunge 
each piece into cold spring water for rinsing. 

10. On wringing each piece out of the rinsing water, imme- 
diately hang it out, and let it dry as quickly as possible. 

11. In hanging up, put any thick double parts next the line, 
letting the thinner part hang down and blow about. When 
these are dry, the positions may be changed, and the thick 
parts hung downwards. 

12. If, through unfavorable weather, or any other circum- 
stance, the drying cannot proceed at once, the things had better, 
remain all night in the rinsing water, than be laid about damp. 
If they are half-dry out-of-doors, when taken in for the night let 
them be hung or spread in a room, and again hung out early 
next day. If th^e is no chance of favorable drying abroad, 
they should be quickly dried before a fire, or round a stove. 

13. If starching is required, a sufficient quantity of made 
Btarch may be stirred into the rinsing water. 



f 



52 MRS. Hale's receipts for the million. 

173. How to wash Printed Dresses. — A very cool lather of 
white soap, of the best quality, should be used, as the inferior 
soaps contain rosin, and other pernicious ingredients most de- 
structive to colors. Soda, pearl-ash, vinegar, alum, salt, wash- 
ing-powder, (fee, although they may not injure some colors, 
should never be used; for they will .most certainly destroy 
others. Printed dresses should not be washed with household 
or body linen, or put into scalding water. It is desirable to 
wash colors with a light hand, so as not to subject them to hard 
rubbing, and to rinse with plenty of clean cold water, and to 
dry in the open air. Claret, chocolate, purple, lilac, red, pink, 
and black, are the most permanent ; the cloth for these colors 
being prepared in a peculiar manner, and which process has the 
effect of better fixing them to it. Blue, green, drab, ruby, 
crimson, buff, dahlia, orange, and cinnamon, as they do not ad- 
mit of the cloth being so prepared, of course require more 
careful treatment, or some of the surface color may possibly on 
the first washing scale off and tinge the white, especially if not 
well rinsed ; but by a little discretion the most delicate colors 
may be effectually preserved. 

" 174. To wash Chintz^ so a^ to preserve its Gloss and Beauty. 
— Take two pounds of rice and boil it in two gallons of water, 
till soft ; when done, pour the whole into a tub ; let it stand till 
about the warmth you in general use for colored linens ; put 
the chintz in, and use the rice instead of soap ; wash it in this, 
till the dirt appears to be out ; then boil the same quantity as 
above, but strain the rice from the water, and mix it in warm 
water. Wash it in this till quite clean ; afterwards rinse it in 
the water the rice was boiled in ; this will answer the end of 
starch, and no dew will affect it, as it vyll be stiff while it is 
worn. If a gown, it must- be taken to pieces, and when dried, 
hang it as smooth as possible ; after dry, rub it with a sleek 
stone, but use no iron. 



175. To protect Children from Burning. — Add one ounce of 
alum to the last water used in rinsing children's dresses, and 
they will be rendered uninflammable, or so slightly combustible 
that they would take fire slowly, if at all, and would not flame. 

176. Composition for Washing in Sea- water, — Mix a strong 
solution of potash with an equal weight of pipe-clay, and work 






HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 63 

them to a paste, one pound of which will soften four gallons of 
sea-water. 



177. To bleach a Faded Dress.— Wash the dress in hot suds, 
boil it and rinse it, then dry it in the sun. Should it not be 
rendered perfectly w^hite, lay the dress in the sun for several 
days. 

178. To preserve the Color of a Print Dress. — Rip the skirt 
from the body, and wash them in cold rain water in which a 
handful of common salt has been thrown. Do not expose it to 
the sun to dry, but roll it tightly in a coarse cloth until dry 
enouorh to iron. 



179. To wash White Lace, — A quarter of a cake of white 
wax, six lumps of sugar, and a dessert-spoonful of made starch, 
to be mixed with a quart of soft water. Tack the lace very 
slightly in a thin cloth dipped in cold water, then let it lie in a 
strong lather for one day. Change the water, and leave it m a 
second lather all night. Put the above materials into a sauce- 
pan, boil the lace in it for ten minutes, then throw it into cold 
water^and when nearly dry iron it. 



180. Washing Kid Oloves. — Have ready a little new milk 
in one saucer, and a piece of brown soap in another, and a 
clean cloth or towel, folded three or four times. On the cloth, 
spread out the glove smooth and neat. Take a piece of flannel, 
dip it in the milk, then rub off a good quantity of soap to th^ 
wetted flannel, and commence to rub the glove downwards to 
wards the fingers, holding it firmly with the left hand. Con- 
tinue this process until the glove, if white, looks of a dingy 
yellow, though clean : if colored, till it looks dark and spoiled. 
Lay it to dry, and the operator will soon be grjg;ified to see 
that her old gloves look nearly new. They will be soft, glossy, 
smooth, shapely, and elastic. Dark, and especially black 
mourning gloves, should be of the very best and high-priced. 



181. To iron Shirt Fronts and Dresses, — Shirt-fronts are most 
conveniently ironed upon a deal board about 12 inches long 
and 8 wide, covered with fine flannel ; to be placed between the 
back and front of the shirt, after the back is ironed. The skirts 
of dresses also may be ironed in a similar manner, using a 



54 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

board as long as the skirt, 26 inches wide at one end, and 12 
inches at the other. The board should be covered with a blan- 
ket, and rest upon a thin block of wood at each end, to keep 
it from creasing the skirt beneath it. 

182. To clean Hair Brushes and Combs, — Sub-carbonate of 
soda or potass, sometimes called salt of tartar or salt of worm- 
wood, is to be dissolved in boiling water — two heaped tea- 
spoonfuls will be sufficient for half a pint; into this mixture dip 
the hairs of the brush, and draw the comb through many times. 
The brush and comb, with the help of this solution, will quickly 
cleanse each other ; dry quickly and they will be as white as 
new. Observe two things : the potass must be kept in a stop- 
per bottle, or it will soon become liquid ; when liquid it is not 
injured for use, but if left in paper would be wasted ; also the 
mahogany or satin-wood back of the brush must be kept out 
of the solution, as it is apt to discolor wood. 



183. To clean Sponge, — Put into two pints of hot water 
about three cents worth of Salts of lemon, and steep the sponge 
in it. After it is clean, rinse it in clean water. 

Or^ immerse it in cold buttermilk, and let it soalc a few 
hours. Then rinse it in pure water. 



184. To clean Ermine and Minivar, — Take a piece of soft 
flannel, dip it in common flour, and rub the fur with it, being 
careful to rub it against the grain. Shake it well and rub again 
with the flannel till all the flour is out of it. 



185. To clean Swansdown. — White swansdown may be 
washed in soap and water ; after washiTig, shake it out, and 
when the down is somewhat raised, shake it before a clear fire 
to dry. 

186. To clean Leather Cases, — To clean hat cases, writing- 
desks, &c., dissolve in warm water a small quantity of oxalic 
acid, and wash the articles with a sponge wet in the solution. 
When dry they will look almost equal to new. 

187. To tahe Stains out of Linen, — Stains caused by Acids 
can be removed by wetting the part, and laying on it some salt 
of wormwood; then rub it without diluting "^it with more water 



HOME A^^D ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 55. 

Or, let the cloth imbibe a little water without dipping, and 
hold the part over a lighted match, at a due distance. The 
spots will be removed by the sulphureous gas. 

Or^ tie up in the stained part some pearlash ; then scrape 
some soap into cold soft water to make a lather, and boil the 
linen till the stain disappears. 

188. Stains of Wine, Fruit, (kc, after they have been long in 
the Linen. — Rub the part on each side with yellow soap ; then 
lay on a mixture of starch in cold water very thick ; rub it well 
in, and expose the linen to the sun and air till the stain comes 
out. If not removed in three or four days, rub that off and 
renew the process. When dry it may be sprinkled with a little 
water. 

Recent Stains of Fruit may be removed by holding the linen 
tightly stretched over a tub and pouring hot water over the 
part. This must be done before any soap has been applied 
to it. 

Obs, As soon as a stain is made on table-linen, &c., rub on 
it common table salt before it has time to dry ; the salt will 
keep it damp till the cloth is washed, when the stain will dis- 
appear ; or wash the stain lightly when the cloth is removed. 



189. To restore Scorched Linen, — Peel and slice two onions, 
and extract the juice by squeezing or pounding. Cut up half 
an ounce of white soap and two ounces of fullers' earth ; mix 
with them the onion juice and half a pint of vinegar. Boil this 
composition well, and spread it, when cool, over the scorched 
part of the linen, leaving it to dry thereon. Then wash out the 
linen. 



190. To restore Linen that has long been Stained, — Rub the 
stains on each side with wet brown soap ; mix some starch to 
a thick paste, with cold water, and spread it over the soaped 
places ; then expose the linen to the air. If the stains do not 
disappear in three or four days, rub off the mixture, and repeat 
the process with fresh soap and starch. Then dry it, wet it 
with cold water, and wash it. 



191. Grease or Wax S2:>ots. — Grease-spots should be rubbed 
with strong pearlash and water. Spots of wax or oil paint 
should be rubbed with turpentine, and washed with soap and 



56 MRS. hale's eeceipts for the million. 

water : or, wax, if moistened repeatedly with spirits of wine, 
may. be brushed off. Or, dissolve six ounces of alum in half a 
pint of water, warm it, wash the stained part with it, and leave 
it to dry. 

Or, in a quart of warm water, dissolve a little white soap, 
and one ounce of pearlash ; to which add two spoonsful of ox- 
gall, and a little essence of lavender or bergaraot: mix the 
whole, strain it, and keep it in a bottle. In using it, put a small 
quantity on the spot, brush, and wash it with warm water, so 
as entirely to remove the liquor applied, which might injure 
the cloth if allowed to remain. 



192. Other Stains. — Many other Stains may be taken out 
by dipping the linen in sour buttermilk, and drying it in a hot 
sun. Then wash it in cold water, and dry it, two or three timeo 
a-day. 

193. Ironmoulds, — Ironmoulds should be wetted, then laid on 
a hot water-plate, and a little essential salt of lemons put on the 
part. If the linen becomes dry, wet it, and renew the process, 
observing that the plate is kept boiling hot. Much of the pow- 
der sold under the name of salt of lemons is a spurious prepa- 
ration ; and therefore it is necessary to dip the linen in a good 
deal of water, and wash it as soon as the stain is removed, to 
prevent the part from being worn into holes by the acid. Ink 
spots can be removed in the same way. 



194. Jq take Mildew out of Linen, — Take soap, and rub it 
well ; then scrape some fine chalk, and rub that also in the 
linen ; lay it on the grass ; as it dries w^et it a little, and it will 
come out at twice doing. ^ 



195. Or, mix soft soap with starch powdered, half as much 
salt and the juice of a lemon ; lay it on the part on both si^es 
with a painter's brush. Let it lie on the grass day and night 
till the stain comes out. 



196. To discharge all Stains which are not Metallic- — Mix two 

tea-spoonfuls of water w'ith one of spirit of salt ; let the stain 

- lie in it for one or two minutes ; then nnse the article in cold 

water. This will be found particularly useful in removing 

stains from white doily s. 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 57 

197. Prepared Ox-gall for taking out Spots,— 'EoW together 
one pint of ox-gall .and two ounces of powdered alum ; to which 
add two ounces of common salt ; let the liquor settle, add a 
few drops of essence of lemon, pour it off into a bottle, and 
cork tightly. 

198. Salt of Lemons, — Mix one ounce of salt of sorrel in very 
fine powder, with an equal quantity of cream of tartar ; this is 
the salt sold in the shops ; but, as it is only recommended foi 
removing ironmoulds or ink spots, it will be better to use only 
the salt of sorrel. 



199. To bleach Linen, — Mix common bleaching powder, in 
the proportion of one pound to a gallon of water ; stir it occa- 
sionally for three days, let it settle, and pour it off clear. 
Then make a ley of one pound of soda to a gallon of boiling 
soft watcr( in which soak the linen for twelve hours, and boil 
it half an hour ; next, soak it in the bleaching liquor, made as 
above ; and lastly, wash it in the usual manner. 

Discolored linen or muslin may be restored, by putting ^ 
portion of bleaching liquor into the tub wherein the articles are 
soaking. 



200. Use of Potatoes in Bleaching, — This method of bleaching 
consists in substituting for soap, an equal quantity of potatoes 
three-parts boiled. The linen is first boiled for nearly an hour ; 
it is next put into a tub of boiling water, from which each piece 
is taken separately, and rubbed w^ith the potatoes, as with soap. 
The linen is then boiled with the potatoes for half an hour, next 
taken out, rubbed, and rinsed two or three times in cold soft 
water, wrung, and hung up to dry. Kitchen linen, which has 
mostly the smell of tallow, loses it after having been bleached 
by this process. 



201. To Rer)iove fresh Ink Stains, — Let one person hold the 
part that is spotted between his two hands over a basin and rub 
it, w^hile another pours water gradually from a decanter upon it, 
and let a whole pitcher-full be used if necessary ; or if the ruf- 
fle, apron, &c. be at liberty, let it be dipped into a basin filled 
with water, and there squeezed and dipped in again, taking care 
to change the water every two or three squeezes. If the ink be 
spilled on a green table carpet, it may immediately be taken 



58 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. , 

out with a tea-spoon so entirely, that scarcely any water at all 
<shall be wanted afterwards, provided it was only that instant 
spilled, as the down of the cloth prevents the immediate soak- 
ing in of the ink, or, of any other liquor (except oil) ; but if it 
have lain some time, be the time ever so long, provided the 
place be still wet, by pouring on it fresh clean water, by little 
and little at a time, and gathering it up again each time with a 
spoon, pressing hard to squeeze it out of the cloth into the 
spoon, you will at last bring it to its natural color, as if no 
, such accident had happened. 



202. To take out Spots of Ink. — As soon as the accident hap- 
pens, wet the place with juice of sorrel or lemon, or with vine- 
gar, and the best hard white soap. 



203. To remove Ink Stains, — Get a pint cup, or narrow-top- 
ped jug, full of boiling water; place the stained part (of the 
linen, &c.) on the top of the cup ; dip it in, draw it tight over 
the top of the cup, and, while wet and hot, with your finger 
rub in a little salt of sorrel. The acid should remain on the 
linen for half-an-hour before it is washed. As salt of sorrel is 
a powerful poison, the paper should be marked poison, and 
kept carefully locked up, when not in use. 



204. The fumes of brimstone useful in removing Spots or Stains 
in linen, (he. — If a red rose be held in the fumes of a brimstone 
match, the color will soon begin to change, aod, at length, the 
flower will become white. By the same process, fruit-stains or 
iron-moulds may be removed from linen or cotton cloths, if the 
spots be previously moistened with water. With iron-moulds, 
weak muriatic acid is preferable, assisted-by heat ; as by laying 
the cloth on a tea-pot or kettle, filled with boiling water. 

205. To remove Stains from Black Bombazine, Crape or 
Cloth. — Boil a large handful of fig-leaves in two quarts of 
water until reduced to a pint; squeeze the leaves quite dry, 
and put the liquor into a bottle for use. The article should be 
rubbed with a sponge dipped in the liquor. The word poison 
should be written on the bottle, to prevent any accident. 

206. To clean Black Satin. — Boil three pounds of potatoes 
to a pulp in a quart of water ; strain through a sieve, and brush 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 60 

the satin with it on a board or table. The sathi must not be 
wrung, but folded down in cloths for three hours, and then 
ironed on the wrong side. 

207. To restore Color taken out by Acids, — Sal-volatile or 
hartshorn will suffice for this purpose. It may be dropped on 
silk without doing any injury. 



208. To take out Spots on >S^7A:.— Rub the spots with spirit 
of turpentine ; this spirit exhaling, carries off with it the oil that 
causes the spot. 



209. To extract Grease from Silks, — Scrape French chalk, put 
it on a grease-spot, and hold it near the fire, or over a warm 
iron, or water-plate filled with boiling water. The grease will 
melt, and the French chalk absorb it. Brush or rub it off; re- 
peat if necessary. 



210. Another way, — To remove a grease spot from silk, 
scrape some French chalk on the wrong side ; let it remain 
some time, and then brush off. Magnesia is also a good re- 
medy. 



211. To extract Grease from Silks or Stuffs {another way), — 
Take a lump of magnesia, and rub it wet over the spot.; let it 
dry ; then brush the powder off, and the spot will disappear. 

Or, take a visiting or other card ; separate it, and rub the 
spot with the soft internal part, and it will disappear without 
taking the gloss off the silk. 

212. To take Spots out of Cloths, Stuffs, Silk, Cotton, and 
Linen, — Take two quarts of spring water, put in it a little fine 
white potash, about the quantity of a walnut, and a lemon cut 
in slices; mi:?^ these well together, and let it stand for twenty- 
four hours in the sun ; then strain it off, and put the clear liquid 
up for use. This water takes out all spots, whether pitch, 
grease, or oil, as well in hats, as cloths and stuffs, silk or cotton, 
and Jinen. As soon as the spot is taken out, wash the place 
with fair water ; lor cloths of a deep color, add to a spoonful 
of the mixture as much fair water as to weaken it. 

Grease spots in cloth may be removed by using soap and 
water with a tooth or nail brush, and afterwards wiping off the 



60 MES. bale's receipts for the million. 

lather with the wet corner of a towel. Essence of lemon, oi 
pure spirit of turpentine, will remove pitch from cloth, &c. 

In woollen cloth, an easier method is to scrape off the hard 
tallow with the edge of a tea-spoon, then rub the part briskly 
Avith a clean woollen rag, shifting the rag as the part beconies 
dirty ; or, place some blotting paper on the spot, and press it 
with a hot iron, occasionally moving the paper. 



213. To clean Silks or Merinoes, dc, — Grate two or three 
large potatoes, add to them a pint of cold water, let them stand 
a short time, and pour off the liquid clear, or strain it through 
a sieve, when it will be fit for use. Lay the silk on a flat sur- 
face, and apply the liquid with a clean sponge, till the dirt is 
well separated, dip each piece in a pail of clean water, and hang 
up to dry without wringing. Iron whilst damp on the wrong 
side. Should the silk be of more than one color, it is desirable 
to wet a small piece first, lest the dress should be spoiled, by 
moisture causing the colors to run ; but for self-colored silks, 
the direction is an excellent one ; and satinettes, even of light 
colors, if not greased or stained, make up again nearly equal to 
new. 



214. To clean Silks, — If of any other color than black, wash 
them in a hot lather of soft soap and water, and rmse them in 
plain warm water, to which a small quantity of dye may be 
added, according to the color : a few drops of vitriol added to 
the water will freshen crimson, scarlet, maroon, or bright yel- 
low ; lemon-juice for pink, rose, or carnation ; pearl ash for blue 
and purple ; and for olive-green, a pinch of verdigris ; but acid 
must not be used for fawn, brown, or orange. Then squeeze 
the liquid from the silk, roll it in a co^rs^ sheet, and wring it : 
spread it out, and rub it- on the wrong side with gum-water, 
with a little pearlash in it ; dry it in a warm room, and finish 
w^ith calendering or mangling it. ^ 

Black silk should be sponged with hot ox-gall on both sides, 
then rinsed, and dried smooth on a board. Or, spread black 
plain silks upon a board, soap the dirty place, and brush the 
silk on both sides with a fine soap lather ; put it into hot water, 
rinse it through cold water, and, having squeezed and dried it, 
smooth it on the right side with an iron, moderately heated. 



215. To make Old Silk look as well as New. — Unpick the 
dress, put it into a tub and cover it with cold water; let it re- 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. Cl 

main an hour ; dip it up and down, but do not wring it ; hang 
it up to drain. Iron it very damp, and it will look well. 

216. To clean Silks. — A quarter-pound of soft soap, a tea- 
spoonful of brandy, a pint of gin. Mix all well together. With 
a sponge or flannel spread the mixture on each side of the silk 
without creasing it. Wash it in two or three pails of cold 
water, and iron on the wrong side when rather wet. 



217. To remove Stains from Silks. — Stains produced by vin- 
egar, lemon-juice, oil of vitriol, or other sharp corrosives, may 
often be removed from silks by mixing a little pearlash with 
soap-lather and passing the silk through them. Spirits of harts- 
horn will also often restore the color. 



218. To dip Rusty Black Silk, — Boil logwood and water 
half an hour, in which simmer the silk for the same time ; then 
take it out, and put into the dye a little blue vitriol, or green 
copperas; cool it, and simmer the silk in it for half an hour. 
Or, boil a handful of fig-leaves in two quarts of water until it 
be reduced to one pint ; squeeze the leaves, and bottle the li- 
quor for use. When wanted, sponge the silk with it. 

The word Poison should be written on the bottle. 



219. Black Reviver. -^Xi^on two ounces of powdered logwopd, 
and half an ounce of green copperas, pour three pints of boiling 
water : let it stand till cold, when strain for use, by sponging 
the faded stuff with it. 

To revive black cloth, boil it with logwood in water for half 
an hour, the cloth having been previously cleaned, dipped in 
warm water, and squeezed dry ; next, take out the cloth, add a 
small piece of green copperas, and IdoII it another half hour ; 
then hang it in the air an hour or two, rinse it twice or thrice 
in cold water, dry it, and finish it with a soft brush, over which 
two or three drops of olive oil have been rubbed. 



220. White Satin, — Stone blue and flannel will make white 
satin look nearly new, especially if rubbed afterwards with 
crumbs of bread. 



221. Blond Lace. — When blond lace gets tumbled, breathings 
upon it, and afterwards shaking it, will be found to answer the 



62 MRS. Hale's receipts for the million. 

purpose of an iron, without chance of making the lace look yel- 
low, as it probably would be by the use of an iron. There is 
no necessity for unpicking the lace. 

222. To raise the Surface or Pile of Velvet when pressed down. 
— Warm a smoothing-iron moderately, and cover it with a wet 
cloth, and hold it under the velvet ; the vapor arising from the 
heated cloth will raise the pile of the velvet, with the assistance 
of a rush whisk. 



223. To remove Grease or Oil Paint from Cloth, — Moisten 
them with a few drops of concentrated solution of subcarbonate 
of potash ; rub the spot between the fingers, and then wash the 
?DOt with a little warm water. 



224. Another wqty, — To remove oil paint, rub ^he part with a 
bit of flannel dipped in spirits of wine or turpentine. 

225. — Spots from Woollen Cloths, — Fullers' earth, or tobac- 
co pipe-clay, being put wet on an oil spot, absorbs the oil as 
the water evaporates, and leaves the vegetable or animal fibres 
of cloth clean, on being beaten or brushed out. When the spot 
is occasioned by tallow or wax, it is necessary to heat the part 
cautiously by an iron or the fire, while the cloth is drying. In 
some kinds of goods, blotting paper, bran, or raw starch, may 
be used with advantage. 

226. To clean a White or Drab Coat. — If the coat be much 
soiled, brush well into the cloth, the way of the nap some of 
the following : mix pounded pipe-clay and whiting, some ful- 
lers' earth, and a little stone blue dissolved in vinegar enough 
to form the whole into a paste. When the coat is quite dry, 
rub it well, beat it to get out the dust, and brush it well. 



227. To clean Cashmere Stuff, — If common soap be employed, 
these valuable fabrics will be injured, and rendered less pliant 
and velvety than before. The proper method is to use a soapy 
root common in Russia and the East, in the Greek islands, and 
in Italy. Its original name is ishkar, and it afibrds an ash- 
colored powder, which, mixed with water into a paste, will free 
the stuff* frrom any greasy stains, and leave them the yellow 
tint so much prized. 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. ^03 

228. To make Portable Balls foi' removing S2)otsfrom Clothes 
in general. — Take fullers'-earth perfectly dried, so that it crum- 
bles into powder, moisten it with the clear juice of lemons, and 
add a small quantity of pure pearl-ashes ; then work and knead 
the whole carefully together, till it acquires the consistence of 
a thick elastic paste ; form it into convenient small balls, and 
expose them to the heat of the sun, in which they ought to be 
completely dried. In this state they are fit for use in the man- 
ner following : — First, moisten the spot on your clothes with 
water, then rub it with the ball just described, and suffer it again 
to dry in the sun : after having washed the spot with pure water, 
it will entirely disappear, 

229. To make Breeches Balls, — Mix half a pound of Bath 
brick in fine powder, one pound of pipe-clay, two ounces of 
pumice-stone in fine powder, and three ounces of ox-gall; color 
the mixture with yellow ochre, umber, or Irish slate, to the 
desired shade, and shape into balls. 

230, Scouring Drops, — Mix with one ounce of pyroligneous 
ether, three drachms of essence of lemon. These will remove 
oil or grease from woollen cloth, silk, &;c., by rubbing the spot 
with a piece of the same article, moistened with the drops. 

231, To take out Wax or Spermaceti from (7/ojfA.— Hold a red- 
hot iron steadily within about an inch of the cloth, and in a few 
minutes the wax will evaporate ; then rub the cloth with whitish 
paper, to remove any ipark that. may remain. 



232. To take Wax out of Velvet of all Colors except Crimson, 
— ^Take a crummy wheaten loaf, cut it in two, toast it before 
the fire, and, while very hot, apply it to the part spotted with 
wax. Then apply another piece of toasted bread hot as before, 
and continue the application till the wax is entirely taken out, 

233. For taking Or ease out of the Leaves of Books, — Fold up, 
in two small bags made of fine open muslin, some ashes of 
burnt bones, finely powdered, or of calcined hartshorn, which 
is always ready prepared at the shops of the druggists. Lay 
the bags of nmslin containing the powder, one on each side 
of the greasy leaf; and, having heated a pair of fire-tongs, or 
hair-dresser's pinching-tongs, of q> moderate warmth, press with 



MRS. HALE's receipts FOR THE MILLION. 

them the two bags against the greasy spot, and hold them some 
time in that situation. Repeat the process, if necessary. 

When the irons cannot be conveniently used, the powder 
may be heated over the fire, in a clean earthen vessel; and, 
whilst hot, applied, without any muslins, on each side of the 
grease spot, and a weight laid on it to assist its effect. 



234. To remove Spots of Grease from Paper. — Take an equal 
quantity of roach alum, burnt, and flour of brimstone, finely 
powdered together ; wet the paper a little, and put a small 
quantity of the powder on the place, rubbing it gently with 
your finger, and the spot will disappear 

235. To discharge Grease from Leather, — Apply the white 
of an egg to the spot, and dry it in the ^un ; or, mix two 
table-spoonfuls of spirit of turpentine, half an ounce of mealy 
potatoes, and some of the best Durham mustard. Apply this 
mixture to the spot, and rub it off when dry. A little vinegar 
added, renders it more efficacious. 



236. For cleaning light Kid Gloves, — If the gloves are not 
so much soiled as to require wetting, they may be cleaned 
thus : — Scrape fine as much as a tea-spoonful of IVench chalk. 
Put on the gloves as for wear, taking care that the hands be 
not only clean, but cool and dry. Put some of the powdered 
chalk into the palm of one glove, and rub the hands and fingers 
together, just as if the chalk were soap employed in washing 
the hands. In this way rub in all the chalk. Then take off 
the gloves, without shaking them, and lay them aside for an 
hour or two, or a night, if it suit. Again put them on, and 
clap the hands together till all the chalk ts shaken out. fullers' 
earth, powdered and sifte'd, may be used in the same manner 
as French chalk, and will answer nearly as well. Or, gloves 
slightly soiled, may be cleaned by rubbing with a very clean 
and dry bit of India-rubber. White kid gloves, or very light 
stone-color, or lilac, (not darker than what is called a French 
white,) may be stained of a bright and delicate yellow, jusl 
the color of cowslips, by rubbing them with the petals of tho 
common white rose. The roses must be fresh gathered for 
this purpose ; and the best method of applying the leaves, is 
by putting the glove on its 'proper hand, and then rubbing i 
not convenient to do the whole at one time, the effect is no 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 35 

injured by laying them aside, and taking up again. When 
done, they look quite eXiual to new, and keep clean longer than 
gloves of the same color stained in the ordinary way. 



237. Another way to clean Kid Gloves, — First see that your 
hands are clean; then put on the gloves and wash them, as 
though you were washing your hands, in a basin of turpentine. 
Burning fluid will do equally well. Then hang them up in a 
warm place, or where there is a good current of air, which will 
carry off all smell of turpentine. This method was brought 
from Paris, and thousands of dollars have been made by it. 
The spirits of hartshorn may be substituted for the turpentine. 



238. Washing Gloves. — If the gloves are so much soiled as 
to require washing, the best application is a strong lather made 
of curd soap with new milk ; or w^ater will do. A very small 
quantity of liquid will suffice. Before wetting the glove, run 
a strong thread through the opposite sides, close to the wrist 
binding. Leave it about a quarter of a yard long, and make 
a large knot at each end. This is to form a loop or handle 
by which to hang up the glove to dry, and hold it open. Hav- 
ing prepared the lather, put one glove on the hand, and apply 
the lather by means of a shaving brush or a piece of fine flannel, 
carrying the strokes downwards — that is, from the wrist or arm 
to the tips of the fingers. Continue this process till the dirt 
disappears, though the glove appears of a dingy, ilMooking 
color. Then take a clean soft towel, and dab it till the soap 
is removed. Take off' the glove, blow into it to open all the 
fingers, and, l)y means of the aforesaid loop, hang it to dry 
in a shady but airy place. The loop should be fixed to two 
pegs, or by two pegs or strings, fastened to a line in such a 
manner as to keep the sides of the glove apart while drying. 
When dry, they will have regained their original color, and 
be smooth, glossy, soft, and shapable. Or, the gloves when 
cleaned as above, may be laid to dry on several folds of clean 
linen above and below. Limerick gloves should be washed 
clean with a strong lather of soap and water, applied with a 
brush iis above. The lather must not be warnier than new 
milk. When dry from the lather, apply a solution of saffron, 
stronger or weaker, according to the color desired. A very 
small quantity of saffron will suffice. Pour boiling water to it, 
and let it steep at least twelve hours before using. Those who 
5 



66 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

are frequently cleaning this kind of gloves, may steep a drachm 
of saffron in half a-pint of boiling water, and when cold, put the 
whole into a bottle, without straining. Cork it close, and it 
will keep a long time for use as required. 



239. To clean Straw Bonnets. — Put a chafing-dish, with some 
lighted charcoal, into a close room or large box ; then strew 
on the coals an ounce or two of powdered brimstone, and let 
the bonnets hang in the room or box for some hours, when 
they remain to be blocked. 



240. To bleach Straw. Hats^ dc. — Straw hats and bonnets 
are bleached by putting them, previously washed in pure water, 
into a box with burning sulphur ; the fumes which arise, unite 
with the water on the bonnets, and the sulphurous acid thus 
formed, bleaches them. 



241. Method of Bleaching Straw, — Dip the straw in a solution 
of oxygenated muriatic acid, saturated wnth potash. (Oxyge- 
nated muriate of lime is much cheaper.) The straw is thus 
rendered very white, and its flexibility is increased. 

242. Varnish for Straw or Chip Hats, — Powder half-an- 
ounce of black sealing-wax, put it into a bottle with two ounces 
of spirits of wine, and set it in a warm place. Lay it on warm 
with a soft hair-brush, before the fire or sun. 



243. Straw Bonnets, — If a straw bonnet is not worth the 
expense of properly cleaning, it may be greatly improved both 
in comfort and appearance, by washing it with soap and water, 
applied by means of a bit of flannel or sponge. Afterwards 
rinse with clean water, and dry quickly in the air. When dry, 
wash over with the white of an egg, finely beaten. The wire 
had better be removed before washing, and put on afresh. 
There is no great art in reducing a straw bonnet for a child. 
Take off all the ribs of straw that form a sort of border by going 
round the edge ; as many also of the straight ribs as will leave 
the front nearly of the depth required. From the remaining 
front ribs cut off a little at each end; fasten the ends securely, 
and again set on the border ribs. Unpick the sewing of the 
head-piece, till two, three, or more of the top rounds are taken 
ofl*, so as to bring it to the size required. Then sew again as 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 67 

many as will bring it to a proper depth. It is not intended to 
say, that a person who never learned the art of straw bonnet- 
making, and has not the proper blocks, &c., will do it as well 
as one who has; but any notionable needle-woman may do it, 
so as to look much better than a large bonnet on the small head 
of a child. A bonnet-shape of pasteboard or buckram may be 
renewed by laying it between two sheets of damp paper, and 
ironing with a hot iron. The wire must be previously removed 
and afterwards put on afresh. To clean silk and ribbons, wash 
in cold rain water with a very little soap. Avoid squeezing 
and wringing. If very dirty, two waters may be requisite ; the 
second may be slightly blued, unless the color of the silk for- 
bids it (as yellow or red). Spread on a clean towel, and 
while damp, iron with a piece of clean paper placed between 
the silk or ribbon and the iron. 



244. Paste, — Take two table-spoonfuls of flour and stir it 
into a half pint of cold water until the lumps are all broken, 
then pour this into a pint of boiling water, stirring while doing 
so ; afterwards let it boil up once or twice, and take off. 



245. Superior Paste — Mix flour and water, with a little 
brown sugar, and a very small quantity of corrosive sublimate 
in powder, and boil it until sufficiently thick and smooth. The 
sugar will keep the paste flexible, and prevent it scaling off* 
from smooth surfaces, and the corrosive sublimate will check 
its fermentation : a drop or two of oil of anise-seed, lavender, or 
bergamot will prevent the paste turning mouldy. 

246. Boohhinders'' Paste. — Mix wheaten flour first in cold 
water, then boil it till it be of a glutinous consistence ; this 
method makes common paste. Mix 2^ fourth^ fifth ^ or sixth of 
the weight of the flour of powdered alum, and if required 
stronger, add a little powdered resin. 



247. Rice Glue. — Mix rice flour smoothly with cold water, 
and simmer it over a slow fire, when it will form a delicate and 
durable cement, not only answering all the purposes of com- 
mon paste, but well adapted i^x joining paper and card-board 
ornamental work. 



68 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

248. A most excellent Glue, — Beat an ounce of isinglass to 
shreds : dissolve it gradually in a pint of brandy, by means of 
gentle heat, and then strain the solution through a piece of fine 
muslin. The glue thus obtained should be kept in glass closely 
stopped. When required for use, it should be dissolved with 
moderate heat, when it will appear thin, transparent, and 
almost limpid. When applied in the manner of common glue, 
its effect is so powerful as to join together the parts of wood 
stronger than the wood itself is united. This glue dries into a 
very strong, tough, and transparent substance, not easily dam- 
aged by anything but aqueous moisture, which renders it unfit 
for any use where it would be much exposed to wet or 
damp air. 

249. Parchment Glue. — Take one pound of parchment, and 
boil it in six quarts of water till the quantity be reduced to 
one, then strain off the dregs, and boil it again till it be of the 
consistence of glue. 

The same may be done with glovers' cuttings of leather, 
which make a colorless glue, if not burnt in the evaporation of 
the water. 



250. To make Lip Glue, for joining Paper, Silk, or thin 
Leather, <&c. — Take of isinglass and parchment glues, of each 
one ounce; sugar-candy and gum-tragacanth, each two drachms; 
add to them an ounce of water, and boil the whole together till 
the mixture, when cold, is of the consistence of glue ; then form 
the same into small rolls, or any other figure that may be most 
convenient, and it will be fit for use. 

This glue may be wet with the tongue, and rubbed on the 
edges of the paper, silk, or leather, that are to be joined ; and 
on being laid together, and suffered to dry, they will be united 
as firmly as any other part of the substance. 



251. Liquid Glue, — Pour naphtha upon shellac until of a 
creamy consistence, and keep it closely corked. This glue will 
unite iron, wood, glass, &c. It is water-proof, and dries 
quickly. 



252. Glue to hold against Fire or Water. — Mix a handftrl of 
quick-lime in four ounces of linseed-oil, boil them to a good 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 69 

thickness, then spread it on tin plates in the shade, and it will 
become exceedingly hard ; but may be easily dissolved over 
the fire, as glue. 



253. To mend China, — Mix together equal parts of fine glue, 
white of eggs, and white of lead, and with it anoint the edges 
of the article to be mended ; press them together, and when 
hard and dry scrape off as much of the cement as sticks about 
the joint. The juice of garlic is another good cement, and 
leaves no mark where it has been used. 



254. Cement and Ground Glass Imitation. — In half-a-pint 
spirits of wine steep one ounce of isinglass twenty-four hours, 
then dissolve it over a slow fire, keeping the vessel covered 
that the spirit may not evaporate (for this purpose a double 
saucepan should be used, the outer one containing water, after 
the manner of a glue-|^; or the solution may be made in af^jar 
with a lid, tied over also with bladder, and placed in a sauce- 
pan of water — the water should surround the jar to the height 
of two inches or more, but not so high as to float it). When 
the isinglass is completely dissolved, add the juice of garlic, 
obtained by pounding in a mortar six cloves of the root, and 
straining through linen. Mix well, and cork close for a siiort 
time. The mixture will then cement either glass or crystal. 



Cement to resist Fire and Water, — Haifa-pint each of vinegar 
and milk, simmer them together till the curd separates. Strain, 
and with the whey mix the whites of ^\q eggs well beaten up. 
The mixture of these two substances being complete, add sifted 
quick-lime, and make the whole into the consistence of putty. 
Let it be carefully applied — that is, to lay it on every part of 
the broken edges, and to make the edges fit exactly ; as soon as 
it is perfectly dry, it will be found to resist both heat and mois- 
ture. Whatever the article was originally calculated to bear, it 
is again fitted to bear as much as if it had never been broken. 



255. To imitate Ground Glass, — Rub the glass over with a 
lump of glaziers' putty, carefully and uniformly until the sur- 
face is equally covered. This is an excellent imitation of 
ground glass, and is not injured by rain or damp. It is useful 
for kitchen windows, &c. 



to MRS. bale's receipts for thb million. 

256. To cement Broken China, — Mix some oyster-shell pow- 
der with the white of a fresh ^gg^ to the thickness of white paint, 
lay it on thick at the two edges and join them as exact and 
quick as possible, then put it before the fire till the china is 
quite hot, and it will cement in about two minutes. Pour 
boiling w^ater into it directly, wipe it dry, scrape it clean on 
both sides with a penknife, and it will appear only as a crack. 
Mix no more than you can use for one or two things at a time ; 
for if the cement grows hard, it will be spoiled. The powder 
may be bought at the apothecaries' ; but it is best prepared at 
home, which is done as follows :— Choose a large, deep oyster- 
shell ; put it in the middle of a clear fire till red-hot, then take 
it out and scrape away the black parts ; pound the rest in a mor- 
tar as fine as possible ; sift and beat it a second time, till quite 
smooth and fine. 



257. Ohs, — In cementing china and glass, first heat the por- 
tion^, and when the cement is applied, pf^ss them closely toge- 
ther, as the thinner the cement is, the more firmly it holds. 

258. To cement Broken China or Glass, — Beat lime to the 
finest powder, and sift it through fine muslin ; then tie some 
into a thin muslin ; put on the edges of the broken china some 
white of egg ; dust some lime quickly on the same, and unite 
them exactly. 



259. Chinese method of mending China, — Take a piece of 
flint-glass, beat it to a fine powder, and grind it well with the 
white of an egg, and it joins china without riveting, so that no 
art can break it in the same place. You are to observe, that 
the composition is to be ground extremely fine. 

260. Improved Corks for preserving Wine or Chemical Li-. 
quors. — Melt together two parts of white wax and one part 
of beef suet ; dip your corks in this mixture, and immediately 
dry them in a stove upon an iron plate ; repeat this operation 
twice, and the corks thus prepared will preserve any liquor 
well without imparting any ill-flavor thereto. 

261. Bottle Cement, — Common red and black sealing-wax, of 
each half-a-pound ; bees'- wax, quarter of an ounce. Melt them 
in an earthen pipkin or brass kettle. The former is preferable, 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 71 

because the cement may be kept in it, and again melted when- 
ever it is wanted for use. When the mixture begins to froth; 
and seems likely to boil over, stir with a tallow candle, which 
will settle the froth. As soon as the whole is melted, it is 
ready for use. 



262. Bottle Cement, — Melt in an iron ladle some rosin, and a 
quarter as much bees'- wax ; add a little Venetian red, stir with 
a piece of candle, and, when smoothly melted, dip in the top 
of the bottles, so as completely to cover them. In making this 
cement, be careful not to leave it a moment while it is on the 
fire. 



263. Blood Cement, — Blood Cement, for repairing copper 
boilers, &;c., is made by pounded quick-lime and ox-blood 
mixed together ; it must be applied fresh made, as it soon be- 
comes so hard as to be unfit for use. 



264. Diamond Cefnent, — Diamond Cement, for glass or 
china, is made by dissolving a quarter of an ounce of isinglass 
in water, by boiling it to the consistence of cream. Add a 
table-spoonful of spirits of wine. Use warm. 

265. Cement for attaching Metal to Glass or Porcelain, — 
Take two ounces of a thick solution of glue, and mix w4th one 
ounce of linseed oil varnish, or three-quarters of an ounce of 
Venice turpentine. Boil together, agitating them until thor- 
oughly mixed. The pieces to be cemented should be left 
untouched, after having been united, for forty-eight or sixty 
hours. 



266. To mend Tortoise- Shell, — To mend tortoise-shell, bring 
the edges of the pieces to fit each other, observing to give the 
same inclination of grain to each ; then secure them in a piece 
of paper, and place them between hot irons or pincers ; apply 
pressure, and let them cool. Take care that the heat is not too 
great, or it will burn the shell. 

267. To clean Gold Chains, dc, — Make a lather of soap and 
water; boil the chain in it for a few minutes, and immediately on 
taking it out, lay it in magnesia powder which has been heated 
by the fire; when dry, rub it with flannel; if embossed, use a 
brush. 



'J'2 MRS. H ale's receipts FOR THB MELLION. 

Or;— Wash it well in soap and water, and put it while wet 
into a bag with some fi'esh, clean bran ; shake it well, and in a 
few minutes it will be found perfectly clean. 

268. To restore Pearls. — Soak them in hot water in which 
bran has been boiled, with a little salt of tartar and alum, and 
rub them gently between the hands ; rinse them in lukewarm 
water, and lay them out to dry. 

To preserve the color of pearls, keep them in dryjcommon 
magnesia, instead of the cotton-wool used in jewel-cases, and 
they will never lose their brilliance. 

269. To clean Gold or Silver Lace. — Rub it gently with cot- 
ton wool, or a soft brush dipped in spirits of wine, taking care 
not to injure the silk beneath. 

270. To clean Gold and Silver Lace. — Sew the lace in linen 
cloth, and boil it in a pint of water, and two ounces of soap ; 
and then wash the lace in water. 



271. To improve Gilding. — Mix one gill of wat^r, two ounces 
of purified nitre, one ounce of alum and one ounce of common 
salt. Lay this over gilt articles with a brush, and their color 
will be m^ich improved. 



272. laconihustihle Varnish for Wood. — Equal parts of alum 
and isinglass, dissolved and mixed, applied to wood, prevents it 
from burning. Liquids can be boiled in a wooden vessel on a 
common fire, if this varnish be applied to it. The wood chars 



sometimes, but does not flame. 



273. Cement for Iron Flues. — Common salt and sifted wood- 
ashes in equal parts, made into a paste with water, is a very 
good cement for iron flues, and may be applied when the flue 
is hot or cold. Iron filings and vinegar will do almost as well, 
or rather iron filings moistened with diluted muriatic acid. 
These are generally used for filling up the space between cvlin- 
ders. 



274. Preparation of common Cement for joining Alabaster^ 
Marble, Porphyry, or other Stones. — Take of bees'- wax two 
pounds, and of rosin one pound ; melt them, and add one Dound 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 73 

and a half of the same kind of matter, (powdered,) as the body 
to be cemented is composed of, strewhig it into the melted 
mixture, and stirring them well together, and afterwards knead- 
ing the mass in water, that the powder may be thoroughly in- 
corporated with wax and rosin. The proportion of the powder- 
ed matter may be varied, where required, in order to bring 
the cement nearer to the color of the body on which it is em- 
ployed. 

This cement must be heated when applied ; as must^also the 
parts of the subject to be cemented together; and- care must be 
taken likewise, that they be thoroughly dry. 

When this composition is properly managed, it forms an 
extremely strong cement, w^hich will even suspend a projecting 
body of considerable weight, after it is thoroughly dry and set, 
and is therefore of great use to all carvers in stone, or others 
who may have occasion to join together the parts of bodies of 
this nature. 

Melted sulphur, applied to fragments of stones previously 
heated (by placing them before a fire) to at least the melting 
point of sulphur, and then joined with the sulphur between, 
makes a pretty firm and durable joining. 

Chips out of corners, and similar little deficiencies in the 
stone, may also be filled up with melted sulphur, in which some 
of the powder of the stone has been mixed : but the stone should 
be previously heated. 



275. Strong Cement,— To prevent the escape of the vapors 
of water, spirit, and liquors not corrosive, the simple applica- 
tion of slips of moistened bladder will answer very well for 
glass, and paper with good paste for metal. Bladder, to be 
very adhesive, should be soaked some time in water moderately 
warm, till it feels clammy, it then sticks very well ; if smeared 
with white of eggs instead of water, it adheres still closer. 



276. To scour a Hat — Rub yellow soap on a hard brush, dip 
it into boiling water, and brush the hat round with the nap ; if 
the nap be clotted, continue to brush it till it is smooth, and 
free from soap ; then, if requisite, scrape out the dirt, by pass- 
ing round the hat an edged piece of wood, or the back of a knife ; 
next, beat the nap with a cane, hang the hat to dry, and pass a 
heated flat iron two or three times gently over it ; brush it 
aftervards. 



t4 MRS. hale's recbipts for the million. 

277. Management of Razor Strops, — Most razor strops are 
spoiled by being left too dry ; a drop or two of sweet oil, fre- 
quently added to the strop, would remedy this ; and, after using 
the strop, passing the razor on the inside of a^warm hand, gives 
the smoothest and finest edge ; putting the razor in warm w^ater 
makes it cut very keen, and perhaps nothing makes a better 
razor strop than crocus martis, with a little sweet oil, rubbed 
well on leather with a glass bottle. 

278. To prevent Gentlemen's Hats from being injured by Rain, 
— Shake off the water as much as possible ; then with a clean 
linen cloth or silk handkerchief wipe the hat carefully, keeping 
the beaver flat and smooth, in the same direction as it was first 
placed ; then with hands fix it in the original shape, and hang it 
at a distance from the fire to dry. A few hours after, or the 
next morning, lay the hat on the table, and brush it round and 
round several times with a soft brush in the proper direction, 
and you will find your hat not in the least injured by the rain. 

If the gloss is not quite so high as you wish, take a flat iron, 
moderately heated, and pass the same two or three times gently 
over the hat; brush itafterw^ards; and it w^ill be nearly as hand- 
some as when first sent home from the shop. 

279. Dyeing, — Occasionally, w^hen colored articles of silk, 
wool, or cotton have been cleaned, their color requires to be 
made deeper; at other times, it may be desirable to change 
the color altogether, when that already in the stuff must be 
discharged, and the article dyed anew. ' 

Articles of any color may be dyed black, and black may 
easily be re-dyed. Blues ean be made green or black ; green 
may be made brown, and brown, green ; and any color on re- 
dyeing, will take a darker tint than at first. A black may be 
dyed maroon, claret, or dark-brown ; but green is the best color 
into which black can be changed. 

Most colors can be discharged by boiling the articles in water, 
with a small quantity of spirits of salts in it. Yellow^s, browns, 
and blues, are not easily discharged ; maroons, reds of some 
kinds, and olives, may be easily discharged, by boiling them 
in water, with a small quantity of the following articles : roche- 
alum, for maroons ; oil of vitriol— a Y^ry small quantity — for 
olives and grays ; alum, pearlash, or soap, will discharge greeo 
to a yellow, which may be boiled off with soap. 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. "'S 

280- To Alum Silks, — Silk should be alumed cold, for when 
it is alumed hot, it is deprived of a great part of its lustre. 
The alum liquor should always be strong for silks, as they take 
the dye more readily afterwards. 

281. Various Dyes. — The following are the articles employed 
for the colors most in use, the proportions depending upon the 
► depth or the shade required. 

Lilac and Purple, — Boil archil in water; or, boil logwood 
in water ; and, when cold, dip the article to be dyed into it, 
having previously passed it through a weak solution of alum 
in water. From logwood also may be obtained different shades 
of Violet 

Effective Lilac dyes may be produced from the berries of 
the Portugal laurel ; and from the black currant, after the juice 
has been expressed. 

Bed is obtained from madder, and Brazil w^ood; the article" 
being first dipped in weak alum and water, then in the dye, 
and lastly in a decoction of archil and water, to give it a bloom. 

BosCy Flesh-color^ Poppy ^ and Cherrry-red^ are obtained from 
a decoction of carthamus in water, with a little soda and lemon 
juice. For a poppy-color, the article should first be dipped in 
a weak solution of arnatto in water ; and for a pale carnation, 
a little soap should be added to the carthamus. 

Pink Bloom. — Archil is employed to give a bloom to pinks, 
whites, &c., as for silk stockings ; for which purpose, also, pink 
saucers are used. 

Scarlet is obtained from cochineal ; but, for cotton and wool, 
the color derived from it is little superior to that given by 
madder. 

Nankeen is obtained from Spanish arnatto dissolved in hot 
water, with a small portion of pearlash in it. 

Blue is prepared from indigo; but, as this dye is not easily 
made, it will be better to purchase a bottle of " Blue Dye." 

Yellow may be obtained from the juice of the tops of potato- 
flowers, fustic chips, weld or dyers' weed, turmeric, and Dutch 
pink. 

Green consists of blue and yellow dyes, mixed. 

Orarige is extracted fi'om carthamus. Cinnamon from log- 
wood, Brazil wood, and fustic, mixed ; or from a strong decoc- 
tion made from the green tops and flowers of the common heath* 

Black is formed by logwood and green copperas boiled in 



76 MRS. HALE*S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

water ; the color being improved by first boiling the article 
with galls, or alder-bark, in water ; or by first dyeing it with 
walnut-peels. 

Gray is produced by diluting black dye. 

Brown is obtained from walnut-peels, or the bark of birch 

Olives are made from blue, red, and brown. 

The pericarp of the Scotch rose contains a fine purple juio 
which, diluted with water, dyes silk and muslin Peach-cola^ '; 
the addition of alum will make it a deep Violet dye. 

In all cases, except otherwise specified, the article to be dyed 
should be first steeped in a weak solution of alum in water. 



282. To dye the Linings of Curtains^ Furniture Covers^ (kc, — 
Wash the articles clean, and, having prepared the dye accord- 
ing to either of the previous recipes, dip them, rinse them in 
pump water, then in water-starch ; dry them quickly, and man- 
gle or calender them. 



283. To dye Silk Stockings. — Wash and boil the stockings, 
if requisite, in soap and water, and ^inse them in clear hot 
water. Put three table-spoonfuls of archil into a wash-hand 
basin of hot water, in which soak the stockings until they be- 
come of a lilac shade, when rinse them lightly in cold water. 
Dry them in fumes of brimstone, and when they are bleached 
to the required flesh-color, rub the right side with clean flannel 
or glass, and iron them. If the pink saucer-color be used in- 
stead of archil, the stockings will not require bleaching with 
brimstone. 

For Black Stockings, — Having dyed them, finish them on 
wooden legs, by rubbing them with flannel moistened with 
olive oil. Rub each pair half an hour. 



284. To dye Gloves to look like York Tun.—Pnt some saffron 
into one pint of soft water boiling hot, and let it infuse all 
night; next morning wet the leather with a brush. The tops 
should be sewn close to prevent the color from getting in. 

To dye White Gloves a beautiful Purple. — Boil 4 ozs. of log- 
wood and 2 ozs. of roche-alum in 3 pints of soft water till half- 
wasted. Let it stand to be cold after straining. Let the 
gloves be nicely mended ; then do them over with a brush, and 
when dry repeat it. Twice is sufficient, unless the color is to 
be very dark. When dry, rub off* the loose dye with a coarse 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 77 

doth. Beat up the white of an egg, and with a sponge rub it 
over the leather. The dye will stain the hands, but wetting 
them with vinegar before they are washed will take it off. 



285. To dye Straw and Chip Bonnets Black, — Boil them in 
strong logwood liquor three or four hours, occasionally adding 
green copperas, and taking the bonnets out to cool in the air, 
and this must be continued for some hours. Let the bonnets 
remain in the liquor all night, and the next morning take them 
out, dry them in the air, and brush them with a soft brush. 
Lastly, rub them inside and out with a sponge moistened with 
oil, and then send them to be blocked. 



286. To make Nankeen Dye, — Boil equal parts of arnatto and 
common potash in water, till the whole are dissolved. This 
will produce the pale reddish huff so much in use, and sold 
under the name oi Nankeen Dye, 

287. To dye Cotton a fine Buff Color, — Let the twist or yarn 
be boiled in pure water, to cleanse it; then wring it, run it 
through a dilute solution of iron in the vegetable acid, which 
printers call iron liquor ; wring, and run it"through lime-water, 
to raise it ; wring it again, and run it through a solution of 
starch and water; then wring it once more, and dry, wind, 
warp, and weave it for use. 



288. To dye Worsted or Woollen Black, — Put in half a gallon 
of water a piece of bi-chromate of potash, the size of a horse- 
bean. Boil the articles in this seven or eight minutes. Take 
them out and wash them. Then in another half-gallon of water 
put in one table-spoonful and a half of ground logwood ; boil the 
articles in this the same length of time as before. Then wash 
ihem in cold water. 



289. To dye Hair and Feathers Green, — Take of vei'digris or 
verditer 1 oz., gum water, 1 pint; mix them well, and dip the 
hair or feathers into the mixture, shaking them well about. 

290. Waterproof Clothing, — First make the cloak, coat, or 
trowsers of linen ; then soak them well for a day or two in 
boiled oil ; then hang them up in a dry place till perfectly dry, 
without wringing the oil out; then paint chem, without turpen 



*IS MRS. HALE'S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

tine or dryers being in the paint, black, or any other color you 
like, and lay the paint on thinly, and let it dry. (This is the 
method practised by seamen.) 

Waterproof Clothing. — Make the garment of strong unbleach- 
ed calico ; hang it up in a dry place, and, with a brush, give it 
two coats of boiled linseed oil. Buy the oil ready-boiled ; a 
pint will be sufficient for a cape or pair of overalls. Canvas 
may be prepared in the same way for rick-cloths, or other roof- 
nig purposes. 

Another way, — Get some weak size, such as is used by paper- 
makers ; make it hot, and stir a small lump of alum, and a 
small quantity of soap lather into it. Then with a brush apply 
it to the garment equally all over, as recommended above with 
the oil. If the garment be of good cloth, the size may be laid 
on inside. 



291. Chinese Method of rendering Cloth Waterproof — To one 
ounce of white wax, melted, add one quart of spirits of turpen- 
tine, which, when thoroughly mixed and cold, dip the cloth in 
and hang it up to dry. By this cheap and easy method, mus- 
lin, as well as the strongest cloths, will be rendered impenetra- 
ble to the hardest rains, without the pores being filled up, or 
any injury done, when the cloth is colored* 



292. To preserve Furs and Woollens from Moths, — Let the 
former be occasionally combed while in use, and the latter be 
brushed and shaken. When not wanted, dry them first, let 
them be cool ; then mix among them bitter apples from the 
apothecary's in small muslin bags, sew the articles in several 
folds of linen, carefully turned in at the edges, and keep them 
from damp. 

Or, lay amongst them the cuttings of Russia leather. 



293. Or — Leaves from the tobacco plant are very effectual 
in keeping off moths. Lay them between the folds of the 
blankets, carpets, &;c. Air furs, occasionally. 



294. To prevent Moths, — In the month of April beat your fur 
garments well with a small cane or elastic stick, then lap them 
up in linen without pressing the fur too hard, and put between 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 79 

the folds some camphor in small lumps ; then put your furs ir 
this state in boxes well closed. 

When the furs are wanted for use, beat them well as before, 
and expose them for twenty-four hours to the air, which will 
take away the smell of the camphor. 

295. Easy Method of preventing Moths in Furs or Woollens. — 
Sprinkle the furs or woollen stuffs, as well as the drawers or 
boxes in which they are kept, with spirits of turpentine ; the 
unpleasant scent of which will speedily evaporate, on exposure 
of the stuffs to the air. Some persons place sheets of paper, 
moistened with spirits of turpentine, over, under, or between 
pieces of cloth, &c., and find it a very effectual melhod. 

296. To preserve Furs, Woollens, dc, — many woollen-drapers 
put bits of camphor, the size of a nutmeg, in papers, on differ- 
ent parts of the shelves in their shops; and. as they brush their 
cloths every two, three, or four months, this keeps them free 
from moths ; and this should be done in boxes where furs, &c., 
are put. A tallow candle is frequently put within each muff 
when laid by. 

297. To keep Moths, Beetles, Ac^from Clothes, — Put a piece 
of camphor in a linen bag, or some aromatic herbs^ in the draw- 
ers, among linen or woollen clothes, and neither moth nor worm 
will come near them. 



298. A celebrated Blacking Cake for Boots and Shoes. — Take 
one part of gum tragacanth, four parts of river water, two parts 
of neat's-foot, or some other softening, lubricating oil, two parts 
of superfine ivory -black, one part of Prussian blue in fine pow 
der, or indigo, four parts of brown sugar-candy ; boil the mix- 
ture ; and when the composition is of a proper consistence, let 
it be formed into cakes of such a size that each cake may make 
a pint of liquid blacking. 



299. Good Blacking fir Boots and Shoes. — Take of ivory 
black, one pound ; lamp-black, half an ounce ; treacle, one pound ; 
sweet oil, one ounce and a half; coarse gum Arabic, half an 
ounce ; green copperas, three-quarters of an ounce ; and stale 
vinegar, three pints and a half. Mix all well together, having 



so MRS. . J.LE's receipts FOR THE MILLION. 

tirst dissolved the gum in a little water ; then add gradually, 
briskly stirring the mixture, half an ounce of oil of vitriol ; let it 
stand two days, occasionally stirring it, and it will be fit for use. 
Or, two ounces of ivory-black, one tea-spoonful of oil of vit- 
riol, a table-spoonful of sweet-oil, and two ounces of sugar- 
candy, to be mixed with half a pint of vinegar. 

300. Liquid Blacking. — Ivory-black, quarter of a pound; 
treacle, half a pound, well mixed ; to which add sweet oil, one 
pennyworth, and small beer three pints ; add after, oil of vit- 
riol, one pennyworth, which will cause it to boil. Fit tor use 
in three days. 



301. French Polish fo?* Boots and Shoes. — Logwood chips, 
half a pound ; glue, quarter of a pound ; indigo, pounded very 
fine, quarter of an ounce ; soft soap, quarter of an ounce ; isin- 
glass, quarter of an ounce ; boil these ingredients in two pints 
of vinegar and one" of water, during ten minutes after ebullition, 
then strain the liquid. When cold it is fit for use. To apply 
the French polish, the dirt must be washed from the boots and 
shoes ; when these are quite dry, the liquid polish is put on 
with a bit of sponge. 

302. To clean White Satin Shoes.-— Ruh them lengthways 
t)f the satin, with a piece of new white flannel dipped in spirits 
of wine. If slightly soiled, you may clean them by rubbing 
with stale bread. 

White satin shoes should be kept in blue paper closely wrap- 
ped, with coarse brown paper outside. 

To keep your thin, light slippers in shape, when you put them 
away, fold them ever lengthways or sideways, and tie the 
strings round them. You should have a covered box purposely 
for your shoes. 

303. To clean Boot-tops Brown — Mix, in the same quantity 
of water, one ounce of oxalic acid, half an ounce of muriatic 
acid, a small vial of spirits of lavender, and two tea-spoonfuls 
of salt of lemon. Each bottle should be carefully labeled and 
marked " Poison." 



304. Directions for rising the Liquid. — For the white tops : 
to be scrubbed well with a clean hard brush, then spunged 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS, 61 

well with cold water, all one way, and allowed to dry gradually 
in the sun, or by the fire. 

Brown tops are not to be scrubbed with a brush, but sponged 
all over with the mixture, till all stains be removed ; then 
sponged well with cold water, and rubbed with flannel till they 
be highly polished. 

305. Shoes, — When about being measured for shoes, place 
the foot firmly on the ground, as the foot is larger in a standing 
than in a sitting posture. 



806. Shoes. — One hint about shoes — a most essential and 
expensive article of family wear. However worn and full of 
holes the soles may be, if the upper leathers are Whole, or 
soundly mended, and the stitching firm, the soles may be 
covered with the newly adopted article gutta percha, and at a 
very small expense the shoes will be rendered as good as new. 
We have seen shoes which even the eldest daughter of the 
Smith family despised as not worth carrying home, made quite 
sound and respectable in appearance, and to serve many months 
in constant wear, by being thus soled at the cost of only a few 
pence. Thin shoes that have been worn only in-doors, -and 
which are laid aside on account of the tups becoming shabby, 
perhaps worn out, while the sewing is sound, may be made 
very tidy by covering with woollen cloth, or with a bit of thick 
knitting, or platted list, stitched on as close as possible to the 
regular seam. 

307. To prevent Snow-water from penetrating Boots and 
Shoes, — Take equal quantities of bees'-wax and mutton-suet, 
and melt them in an earthen pipkin over a slow fire. Lay the 
mixture, while hot, over the boots and shoes, which ought also 
to be made warm. Let them stand befoi'e the fire a short time, 
and set them aside till they are cold; then rub them with dry- 
woollen stuff, so that you may not grease the blacking-brushes. 
If you black the shoes before the mixture be put on, they will 
afterwards take the blacking much better. 

Or, boil together for half an hour, a quart of linseed oil, two 
ounces of resin, and half an ounce of white vitriol, and incorpo- 
rate with them a quarter of a pint of spirit of turpentine, and 
^,wo ounces of well-dried oak sawdust. Lay the mixture on 
the soles of the boots. 



82 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

808. Water-proof Boots, — A pint of boiled linseed oil, half 
a pound of mutton suet, six ounces of clean bees'-wax, and four 
ounces of resin, are to be melted and well mixed over a fire. 
Of this, while warm, but not hot enough to shrink the leather, 
with a brush lay on plentifully over new boots or shoes, whea 
quite dry and clean. The leather remains pliant. The New 
England fishermen preserve their boots water-tigh]; by this . 
method, which,, it is said, has been in use among them above 
one hundred years. They can thus stand in water hour after 
hour without inconvenience. 



309. Water-proof Boots. — I have had three pairs of boots 
for the last six years .(no shoes), and I think I shall not require 
any more for .the next six years to come. The reason is, that 
I treat them in the following manner : I put a pound of tallow 
and half a pound of rosin in a pot on the fire ; when melted 
and mixed, I warm ,jihe boots and apply the hot stuff with a 
painter's brush, until neither the sole or the upper-leather will 
suck in any more. If it is desired that the boots should imme- 
diately take a polish, melt an ounce of wax with a tea-spoonful 
of lamp-black. A day after the boots have been treated with 
tallow and rosin, rub over them this wax in turpentine, but not 
before the fire. The exterior will then have a coat of wax 
alone, and will shine like a mirror. Tallow, or any other grease, 
becomes rancid, and rots the stitching as well as the leather; 
but the rosin gives it an antiseptic quality, which preserves the 
whole. Boots and"* shoes should be so large as to admit of 
wearing cork soles. — Correspondent of Mechanics'' Magazine, 

310. To make Cloth or Outer Clothing of any description 
Water-proof — Take a quarter of an ounce of yellow or Castile 
soap, and one gallon of fain water; boil for twenty minutes; 
skim, and when cold, put in the cloth or garment; let it remain 

, soaking twenty -four hours ; take it out, and hang to drain ; 
when half-dry, put it into the following solution : — Alum, half 
a pound ; sugar of lead, quarter of a pound ; dissolved in four 
gallons of rain water. Let the cloth be thoroughly soaked, and 
then hang to dry, . This process entirely destroys the capillary 
attraction in the fibres and threads of the cloth, and the rain or 
wet pours ofi* the surface without lodging or penetrating through 
the cloth. The solution has no effect in altering the texture or 
appearance of the cloth or article immersed. Great care must 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 83 

be taken as regards the sugar of lead, not to leave it where 
children or any persons ignorant of its qualities can get access 
to it, as it is a powerful poison. 

311. To make an Oil-skin Coat or Wrapper, — If a stout coat 
or wrapper is wanted, let the material be strong unbleached or 
brown calico. If a light one is preferred, make use of brown 
holland. Soak it (when made) in hot water, and hang to dry ; 
then boil ten ounces of India-rubber in one qullrt of raw linseed 
oil, until dissolved ; (this will require about three hours' boil- 
ing,) when cold, niix with the oil so prepared about half a pint 
of paint of any color which may be preferred, and of the same 
consistency as that used for paintiug wood. With a paint- 
brush lay a thin coat over the outside of the wrapper, brushing 
it well into the seams. Hang it to dry in a current of air, but 
sheltered from a powerful sun. When thoroughly dry, give it 
another coat ; dry as before, and then give a third and last coat. 
The wrapper, when well dried, will be ready for use. 



3i2. To make Gutta Percha Soles, — ^The gutta percha pos- 
sesses properties which render it invaluable for winter shoes. 
It is, compared with leather, a slow conductor of heat; the effect 
of this is, that the warmth of the feet is retained, however cold 
the surface may be on which the person stands, and that clam- 
my dampness, so objectionable in the wear of India rubber 
shoes, is entirely prevented. On first using gutta percha shoes, 
the wearer is forcibly struck with the superior warmth and 
comfort which is produced by this non-conducting property ; 
and I confidently predict, that all those who try gutta percha, 
will be steady consumers. 

We shall now give the method of fixing the gutta percha 
soles. Make the sole of the boot perfectly clean and dry, 
scratch it with an awl or a fork until it becomes rough, warm 
it before the fire, and spread over it with a hot ir.on or poker 
some of the " solution" sold for this purpose, or in the absence 
of this, place some of the thin parings of the gutta percha on 
the sole, holding it to the fire, and spreading it as before. 
When this has been repeated two or three times, and all is well 
covered, warm the gutta percha sole, and the sole of the boot 
at the same time, until both become soft and sticky, place the 
sole on the boot, and press it down carefully, beginning at the 
toe, so as to press out the air and make it adhere closely ; 



8-4 MRS. male's receipts for the million. 

nothing more remains to be done, than as soon as it becomes 
hard to pare the edges with a sharp knife, and trim off as may 
be necessary. All the parings and old pieces should be saved, 
as gutta percha is not injured by use, and may be sold to the 
manufacturer in order to be restored and made up again, 

313. Fly Water, — Most of the fly-waters, and other prepara- 
tions commonly sold for the destruction of flies, are variously dis- 
guised poisons, dangerous and even fatal to the human species: 
such as solutions of mercury, arsenic, &c., mixed with honey or 
Byrup. The following preparation, however, without endanger- 
ing the lives of children, or other incautious persons, is not less 
fatal to flies than even a solution of arsenic. Dissolve two 
drachms of the extract of quassia in half a pint of boiling water ; 
and adding a little sugar or syrup, pour the mixture on plates. 
To this enticing food the flies are extremely partial, and it never 
fails to destroy them. 

A strong infusion of green tea, sweetened, is as effectual in 
poisoning flies, as the solution of arsenic generally sold for that 
purpose. 

314. To destroy Flies. — Ground black pepper and moist 
sugar, intimately mixed in equal quantities, and diluted with 
milk, placed in saucers, adding fresh milk, and stirring the mix- 
ture as often a% necessary, succeeds admirably in occasioning 
their death. 



315. Another way to destroy Flies, — Pour a little simple 
oxymel (an article sold by druggists) into a common tumbler 
glass, and place in "the glass a piece of cap paper, made into the 
shape of the upper part of a funnel, with a hole at the bottom 
to admit the flies. Attracted by the smell, they readily enter 
the trap in swarms, and by the thousands soon collected prove 
that they have not the wit or the disposition to return. 



316. To remove Flies, — Flies and other insects may be kept 
from attacking meat, by dusting it over with pepper, powdered 
ginger, or any other spice, or by skewering a piece of paper to 
it on which a drop of creosote has been poured. The spices 
may be readily washed off* with water before dressing the meat. 

317. To keep off Flies, — Place camphor on or near what you 
wish to protect from them. * 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 



ed" 



818. Wasps and Flies. — These insects may be killed imme- 
diately by dipping a feather in a little sweet oil, and touching 
their backs with it. When intent on fruit this can easily be 
done.. Insects of different kinds are readily killed by oil ; it 
closes up the lateral pores by which they breathe. 

319. To destroy Ants and Wasps. — Ants are destroyed by open- 
ing the nest and pu-tting in quick-lime, and throwing water on it. 

Wasps may be destroyed in the same way ; only it will be 
requisite that the person who does it should be covered with 
muslin, or something over the face, hands, &;c., so that tho 
wasps shall not be able to sting them. 



320. To destroy Ants, — Ants that frequent houses or gardens 
may be destroyed by taking flour of brimstone, half a pound, 
and potasli, four ounces: set them in an iron or earthen pan 
over the fire till dissolved and united ; afterwards beat them to 
a powder, and infuse a little of this powder in water ; and wher- 
ever you sprinkle it the ants will die, or fly the place. 



321. Another Metliod, — Corrosive sublimate, niixed well with 
sugar, has proved a mortal poison to them, and is the most effec- 
tual way of destroying these insects. 



322. To destroy Cockroaches, &c, — Stir a small quantity of 
arsenic with some bread-crumbs, which lay near the insects' 
haunts; meantime, be careful to keep dogs and cats out of the 
way. Poisoned wafers are also made for killing cockroaches : 
a trap is made with a glass well, for the same purpose ; but a 
more simple contrivance is to half-fill a glazed basin, or pie- 
dish, with sweetened beer or linseed oil, and set in places fre- 
quented by cockroaches. They will attack the red wax of seal- 
ed bottles, but will not touch black wax. 



323. To destroy Crickets. — To destroy crickets at night, set 
dishes or saucers filled with the grounds of beer or tea, on the 
kitchen-floor, and, in the morning, the crickets will be found 
dead from excess of drinking. 



324. To drive away Fleas. — Sprinkle about the bed a few 
drops of oil of lavender, and the fleas will soon disappear. 



86 MRS. HALE's receipts for THB MILLIOir. 

Fumigation with brimstone, or fresh leaves of penny-royal 
sewed in a bag, and laid in the bed, will have the desired effect. 



S25. Liquor for destroying Caterpillars, Ants, and otJier In- 
sects, — Take a pound and three-quarters of soap, the same quan 
tity of flower of sulphur, two pounds of champignons, or pufF- 
balls, and fifteen gallons of water. When the whole has been 
well mixed, by the aid of a gentle heat, sprinkle the insects 
with the liquor, and it will instantly kill them. 



326. To destroy Rats. — Cut a number of corks or a piece of 
sponge as thin as sixpences ; stew them in grease, and place 
them in the way of the rats. They will greedily devour this 
delicacy, and will die of indigestion. 



327. To kill Bats, another way. — There are two objections ' 
to the common mode of killing, rats, by laying poison for them ; 
first, the danger to which it exposes other animals and -even 
human beings ; second, the possibility that the rats may cause 
an intolerable stelich, by dying in their holes. The following 
method is free from these objections, and has proved effectual 
in clearing houses infested with these vermin. 

Oil of amber and ox-gall in equal parts, add to them oat- 
meal or flour sufficient to form a paste, which divide into little 
balls and lay them in the middle of a room which rats are 
supposed or known to visit. Surround the balls with a num- 
ber of vessels fHled with water. The smell of the oil will be 
sure to attract the rats, they will greedily devour the balls, 
and becoming intolerably thirsty, will drink till they die on 
the spot. 

328. To expel Bats. — Catch one in a trap; muzzle it, with 
the assistance of a fellow-servant, and slightly singe some of 
the hair ; then smear the part with turpentine, and set the ani- 
mal loose ; if again caught, leave it still at liberty, as the other 
rats will shun the place which it inhabits. It is said to be a 
fact that a toad placed in a cellar will free it from rats. 

Rats may be expelled from cellars and granaries simply by 
scattering a few stalks and leaves of muilen in their paths. 
There is something very annoying in this plant to the rat. It 
affords, therefore, a very easy method of getting rid of a most 



HOME AND ITS EMPLOYMENTS. 87 

perplexing evil, and much more economical and less trouble- 
some than gunpowder, " rat exterminator," cats, or traps. 



829. To destroy Fleas and other Vermin on Animals, — To de- 
stroy them on dogs, rub the animal, when out of the house, 
with the common Scotch snufF, except the nose and eyes. Rub 
the powder well into the roots of the hair. Clear lime-water 
destroys the flea-worm without injuriug the skin or hair. 

Oil of turpentine, when applied to animals, which were 
covered with insects, destroyed the insects, without hurting the 
animal. 



330. To destroy JBugs, — Mix half a pint of spirits of turpen- 
tine and half a pint of best rectified spirits of wine, in a strong 
bottle, and add in small pieces about half an ounce of camphor, 
which will dissolve in a few minutes. Shake the mixture well 
together ; and, with a sponge or brush dipped in it, well wet 
the bed and furniture where the vermin breed. This will infal- 
libly destroy both them and their nits, though they swarm. 
The dust, however, should be well brushed from the bedstead . 
and fyirniture, to prevent, from such carelessness, any stain. If 
that precaution is attended to, there will be no danger of soil- 
ing the richest silk or damask. On touching a live bug with 
only the tip of a pin put into the mixture, the insect will be 
instantly deprived of existence, and should any bugs happen to 
appear after using the mixture, it will only be from not wet- 
ting the linen, &c., of the bed, the foldings and linings of the 
curtains near the rings or the joints, or holes in and about the 
bed or head-board, in which places the vermin nestle and breed ; 
so that those parts being well wetted with more of the mixture, 
which dries as fast as it is used, and pouring it into the joints 
and holes, where the sponge and brush cannot reach, it will 
never fail totally to destroy them. The smell of this mixture, 
though powerful, is extremely wholesome, and to many persons 
very agreeable. It exhales, however, in two or three days. 
Only one caution is necessary ; but that is important. The 
mixture must be well shaken when used ; but never applied by 
candle lights lest the spirits, being attracted by the flare of the 
candle, might cause a conflagration. 



331. Kitchen Cloths. — The four kinds of cloths requisite for 
the kitchen, are knife-cloths, dusters, tea and glass-cloths. 



58 MRS. iiale's receipts for the million. 

Knife-cloths should be made of coarse sheeting, Dusters are 
generally made of mixed cotton and linen. The best material 
for tea and glass-cloths, is a sheet which has begun to wear thin. 
Besides the above cloths, are knife-tray-cloths, house-cloths 
for cleaning, pudding and cheese-cloths, and towels. 



332. Clothes' Posts soon decay at the bottom, if left standing 
in the ground ; but, if fitted into sockets so as to be remov- 
able, they will last for years. The sockets should be made of 
one-inch elm, eighteen inches in length, tapering downwards. 
When finished, they ought to be about three inches square 
inside, at the upper end. They are to be driven firmly into 
the earth till just level with the surface. The posts are then 
made to drop in and stand firm, and can be taken out, and put 
under shelter w^hen not in use. A cover should be fitted to 
each socket, to keep litter from falling in when the post is 
removed. A drying-ground should not be too much exposed 
to the wand, as the violent flapping tears the corners of table- 
cloths, sheets, &;c., and overblown linen feels flabby after man- 
gling. 

333. Out-houses and Cellars, — If these have not been recently 
cleansed, have them thoroughly cleaned out and white-washed. 
A dirty cellar is an abomination, and the fruitful source of 
many diseases. Let all your out-buildings have a thorough 
overhauling and repairing. 



334. To purify Houses,— An able chemist recommends a 
mixture of one pound of chloride of lime in ten gallons of 
water. Throw^ a quart of this daily down the sink or water- 
closet. It will not cost five cents a week. 

One of the best and most pleasant disinfectants is coffee. 
Pound w^ ell-dried raw cofiVe-beans in a mortar, and strew the 
powder over a moderately heated iron plate. The simple 
traversing of the house with a roaster containing freshly roasted 
coffee will clear it of offensive smells. 



PART n. 

HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 

Rules for the preservation of Health, and simple Recipes found 
often efficacious in common diseases and slight injuries — Direc- 
tions for preparing Remedies and ministering to the Sick and 
Suffering — The Toilet , or hints and suggestions for the pre- 
servation of Beauty y with some useful Recipes for those who 
need them, 

335. Means of preserving Health., — Light and sunshine are 
needful for your health. Get all you can ; keep your windows 
clean. Do not block them up with curtains, plants, or bunches 
of flowers : these last poison the air in small rooms. 

Fresh air is needful for your health. As often as you can, 
open all your windows, if only for a short time, in bad weather ; 
in fine weather, keep them open, but never sit in draughts. 
When you get up, open the windows wide, and throw down 
the bed-clothes, that they may be exposed to fresh air some 
hours daily before they are made up. Keep your bed-clothes 
clean ; hang them to the fire when you can. Avoid wearing at 
night what you wear in the day. Hang up your day clothes 
at night. Except in the severest weather, in small crowded 
sleeping-rooms, a little opening at the top of the window-sash 
is very important; or, you will find one windows-pane of perfo- 
rated zinc very useful. You will not catch cold half so easily 
by breathing pure air at night. Let not the beds be directly 
under the windows. Sleeping in exhausted air creates a desire 
fur stimulants. 

Pure water is needful for your health. Wash your bodies 
as well as your faces, rubbing them all over with a coarse cloth. 



90 MRS. uale's eeceipts for the million. 

If you cannot wash thus eyery morning, pray do so once a week. 
Crying and cross children areoften pacified by a gentle washing 
of their little hands and faces — it soothes thenci. Babies' heads 
should be washed carefully, every morning, with yellow soap. 
No scurf should be suffered to remain upon them. Get rid of 
all slops and dirty water at once, but do not throw them out 
before your doors ; and never suifer dead cabbage-leaves or dirt 
of any kind to remain there ; all these poison the air, and bring 
fevers. All bad smells are poison ; never rest with them. 
Keep your back yards clean. Pig-sties are very injurious ; 
slaughter-houses are equally hurtful : the smells from both 
excite typhus fever, and cause ill health. Frederick the Great 
said, that one fever was more fatal to him than seven battles. 
Disease, and even death, is often the consequence of our own 
negligence. Wash your rooms and passages at least once a 
week ; use plenty of clean water ; but do not let your children 
stay in them while they are wet — it may bring on croup or 
inflammation of the chest. If you read your Bibles — which it 
is earnestly hoped you do — you will find how cleanliness, both 
as to the person and habitation, was taught to the Jews by God 
himself; and we read in the 4th chapter of Nehemiah, that 
when they were building their second temple, and defending 
their lives against their foes, having no time for rest, they, con- 
trived to put off their clothes for washing. It is a good old 
saying, that Cleanliness is next to Godliness, See Heb. x. 22. 

Wholesome food is needful for your health. Buy the most 
strengthenings Pieces of fresh beef and mutton go the farthest. 
Eat plenty of fresh salt with food ; it prevents disease. Pray 
do not let your children waste their pocket-money in tarts, 
cakes, sugar-plums, sour fruit, &c. ; they are very unwholesome, 
and hurt the digestion. People would often, at twenty years 
of age, have a nice littlje sum of money to help them on in 
the world, if they had put in the savings-bank the money so 
wasted. Cocoa is cheaper and much more nourishing than tea. 
None of these liquids should be taken hot, but lukewarm ; when 
hot, they inflame the stomach, and produce indigestion. All 
kinds of intoxicating drinks are to be avoided, or taken in the 
utmost moderation. If possible, abstain from them altogether. 
Money saved from drink, will help to educate your children, 
and make your homes happier. 

W^e are all made to breathe the pure air of heaven, and there- 
tore much illness is caused by being constantly in-doors. This 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 01 

is especially the case with mothers of families, young milliners, 
ironers, shoe-makers, tailors, &;c. Let such persons make a 
point, whenever it is possible, of taking exercise in the open air 
for at least an hour and a half, daily. Time would be saved 
in the long-run, by the increased energy and strength gained, 
and by the warding off of disease. 

Be sure to get your children vaccinated, between the third 
and sixth month after birth, before teething begins, and when 
they are in a good state of health for it. This would save a 
great many lives. On no account give your children laudanum, 
or any kind of sleeping medicine ; numbers are killed by it. 

336. Directions in severe Sickness, — Whenever any one of 
your family is taken violently ill, send as soon as possible for 
the most skilful physician — and follow, carefully, his orders. 
But, many times, the mother is the best physician, and the 
only one needed for her children, if she has been trained to 
take proper care of her own health, as every woman should be. 
The following recipes and directions may be of great service 
to young mothers, and those who have not been accustomed 
to minister to the sick. 



337. To purify the Chambers of the Sick, — Close the windows 
and doors of the room to be purified, except one door ; close 
also the chimney aperture, except two or three inches at the 
bottom, and remove all the iron and brass furniture ; then put 
three table-spoonsful of common salt into a dish or pan, place 
it upon the floor of the apartment^ and pour at once upon the 
salt a quarter of a pint of oil of vitriol ; retire, and close the 
room for forty-eight hours, during which tfme vapor will con- 
tinue to rise and diffuse itself completely through the room^ so 
as to destroy the matter on which infection depends. The room 
may then be entered, the doors and windows thrown open, and 
a fire made in the grate, so that the apartment may be perfectly 
ventilated. 



338. To prevent Infection, — As a preservative, carry with 
you and smell occasionally, a handkerchief sprinkled with this 
mixture ; half an ounce of spirits of camphor, half a pint of 
water, and five ounces of pyroligneous acid. 

Cascarilla bark is good to smoke, to prevent the effects of 
malaria, and in sick rooms to correct bad effluvia. It yields a 



92 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

fine aromatic odor, and. is very wholesome for sedentarj'- and 
studious people to smoke, if mixed with good tobacco. The 
proportions for either of these purposes are as follow : one 
pound of Turkey tobacco, four ounces of Dutch canister 
tobacco, and one ounce of Cascarilla bark, broken small ; mix 
the above, and smoke a pipe of it every evening, when the 
house is shut up ; it is also a good digester after meals. 

339. Fumigating Pastilles, — Pound and mix gum benja- 
min and frankincense in powder, of each two drachms ; gum 
myrrh, storax, cascarilla bark, and nitre, of each, powdered, one 
ounce and a half; and charcoal powder, one ounce : moisten, 
and shape into pastilles with gum- water, and a very little tur- 
pentine. 

The stalks of driea lavender, if burnt, have an agreeable 
scent, and form a substitute for pastilles ; they may be cut 
small, and burnt in little vessels. 



340. To use Chloride of Lime, — This preventive of contagion 
may be used as follows : stir one pound of the chloride of lime 
into four gallons of water ; allow it to settle for a short time^ 
pour off the clear solution, and keep it in well-corked bottles. 

In bouses infected, sprinkle the rooms morning and evening 
with the above liquid ; and pour some of it into shallow dishes 
or basins. Sprinkle it about the room and bed-linen occasion- 
ally, and admit fresh air. Infected linen should be dipped in 
the mixture about five minutes, and then in common water, 
before it is sent to the wash. 

A wine-glassful added to the water of a night-chair or bed- 
pan, will prevent any smell. To destroy the effluvia from 
drains, sewers, cesspools, &;c., pour into them a quart of the 
mist tu re, with a pail of w^ater. 

Meat sprinkled with, or dipped in the mixture, and hung in 
the air, will not be attacked by flies, nor be tainted, for some 
time. 

Water in cisterns may be purified, and its animalcula killed, 
by putting about a pint of the mixture to one hundred gallons 
of water. 

This mixture will also destroy bugs, if the joints and crevices 
of bedsteads be washed with it. It will likewise remove the 
smell of paint in a day, if the newly painted room be sprinkled 
with it, and if some be placed there in dishes or saucers. 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY, 93 

S41. Disinfecting Liquid, — In a wine-bottle full of cold water 
dissolve two ounces of sugar of lead, and add two ounces of 
aqua-fortis. . Shake the mixture well. A very small quantity 
of the liquid in its strongest form should be used for cleansing 
all chamber utensils. To remove offensive odors, dilute the 
liquid with eight or ten parts of water, moisten clean cloths 
thoroughly with it, and hang them in various parts of the room. 
The offensive gases are neutralized by chemical action. Fumi- 
gation is merely substituting one odor for another. In all 
practicable QSises, fresh air, and plenty of it, is far the best dis- 
infectant. 



342. To prevent Abrasions of the Skin in persons confined to 
their beds ; a very valuable recipe, — Apply occasionally to the 
tender parts of the body, with a feather, this mixture. Beat to 
a strong froth the white of an ^gg, then drop in gradually, 
while beating it, two tea-spoonfuls of spirits of wine. Bottle it 
for use. 



343. To prevent Discolor ations of the Skin after a blow or 
fall, — Moisten a little dry starch or arrow-root with cold water, 
and lay it on the injured part. It should be done immediately, 
so as to prevent the action of the air upon the skin ; however, 
it may be applied with good effect some hours afterwards. It 
is a French receipt, and is quite valuable. 

344. A recipe for Neuralgia in the Face, — Make a lotion with 
half a pint of rose-water and two tea-spoonfuls of white vine- 
gar. Apply it to the part affected, three or four times a-day, 
using a fresh linen cloth each time. In two or three days the 
pain will pass away. This has been an effectual cure with 
many, but as the disease arises from various causes, there is no 
specific for it. 

345. Eye Water for weak eyes, — Infuse in boiling water, till 
cold, half an ounce of poppy heads, and the same quantity of 
chamomile flowers. Strain this mixture, and add two table- 
spoonfuls of vinegar, and one of brandy. Apply it warm, 
night and morning. 

346. Another, — Put into a two-ounce phial fifteen drops of 
laudanum, fill it with two-thirds of rose-water, and one-third of 
rectified spirits of Mindererus. Use it with a sponge. 



94. MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

347. To cure a Bruise in the Eye. — Take Conserve of red 
roses, or a bruised apple, put them in a fold of thin cambric, 
apply it to the eye, and it will draw the bruise out. 

348. Cold or Inflammation of the Eyes, — Mix a few bread 
crumbs with the white of an ^gg^ put it in a bag of soft muslin, 
and apply it to the eye. It will afford relief in a few minutes, 
and generally a cure in a day. It is best applied at night, or 
when lying down. When removed, bathe the eye well with 
warm water, using a bit of muslin, not a sponge. 

349. Carvacrol^ the new remedy for the Tooth-ache. — Dr. 
Bushman gives (in the Medical Times) the following account of 
this new compound, which, though well known in Germany as 
a quick and effectual cure for one of the most worrying ills 
" that flesh is heir to," is now for the first time publiGhed in 
England. Carvacrol is an oily liquid, with a strong taste and 
unpleasant odor. It may be made by the action of iodine on 
oil of caraway or on camphor. A few drops applied on cotton 
wool (to a decayed and painful tooth) give immediate relief, 
Carvacrol much resembles creosote in appearance, and is used 
in similar cases of tooth-ache, but its effect is much more speedy 
and certain. 



350. To cure Tooth-ache. — A remedy, often effectual, is to 
fill the mouth with warm water, and immediately after with 
cold. 



351. Another cure for Tooth-ache. — Powdered alum will 
not only relieve the tooth-ache, but prevent the decay of the 
tooth. 



352. Gum-boils. — A gum-boil is sometimes a primary flis- 
ease, depending on an inflammation of the gums from accidental 
and common causes, in which case the lancet, or leaving it to 
nature, soon restores the gum to a healthy state ; but it more 
generally arises from a carious tooth, in w^hich case extraction 
is necessary. If there be any constitutional disturbance about 
the face, leeches and purgatives, and the usual means for sub 
duing inflammation may be resorted to. 

353. Diseases of the Ear. — Sometimes ear-ache is connected 
with chronic ulceration in the internal and external part of the 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 95 

ear — wlien injections of warm water and soap are advisable. 
In this case, there is sometimes a constant foetid discharge-r-for 
which the following mixture has been recommended: — Mix 
three drachms of ox-gall and one drachm of balsam of Peru, 
' Put a drop on a little cotton in the ear. 

354. Temporary Deafness, — If the ear be inflamed, inject 
water into it with a syringe, as warm as the patient can bear it, 
and. foment the part with the decoction of poppy-heads and 
chamomile flowers. Should this not relieve the pain, a drop 
of oil of cloves with a little oil of almonds should be dropped 
into the ear, and cotton wool put into it. If the ear dischargc^i 
much, inject warm water with Castile soap into it. 



355. For a Pain in the Ear, — Oil of sweet almonds, two 
drachms, and oil of amber, four drops. Apply four drops of 
this mixture, when in pain, to the part aflected. 



356. Another cure for the Ear-ache, — Dip a little cotton into 
a mixture of oil of sweet almonds and laudanum, and put it 
into the ear ; or, apply a small poultice, in which is put a raw 
chopped clove of garlic ; or, roast a small onion, and put as 
much of the inside into the ear as you conveniently can. 



357. To kill Earwigs^ or other Insects^ which may accidentally 
have crept into the Ear, — Let the person under this distressing 
circumstance lay his head upon a table, the side upwards that 
is afflicted ; at the same time, let some friend carefully drop 
into the ear a little sweet oil or oil of almonds. A drop or two 
will be sufficient, which will instantly destroy the insect and 
remove the pain, however violent. 

358. Bleeding at the Nose, — In obstinate cases, blow a little 
gum Arabic powder up the nostrils through a quill, which will 
immediately stop the discharge. 

359. Another cure for Bleeding at the Nose, — Elevating the 
paiienfs arm will often have the desired effect. The explanation 
is based upon physiological grounds : the greater force required 
to propel the blood through the vessels of the arm, when ele- 
vated, causes the pressure upon the vessels of the head to be 
diminished, by the increased action which takes place in the 



96 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

couise of the brachial arteries. If the theory be sound, both 
arms should be elevated. 



360. To destroy Corns and Warts, — Put into an eartheu 
pipkin a quarter of a pint of linseed oil, to which add one ounce 
of resin and a little litharge. Warm them together 5 spread 
them upon leather, and apply them to corns or warts. 

361. To destroy Warts, — Dissolve as much common washing 
soda as the water will take up ; wash the warts with this for 
a minute or two, and let them dry without wiping. Keep the 
water in a bottle, and repeat the washing often. It will remove 
the largest warts. 

Caustic is an effectual though troublesome application. The 
juice of the common annual spurge plant is as efficacious a 
remedy ; as is the bark of the willow tree, burnt to ashes, mix- 
ed with vinegar, and applied to the warts. The juice of the 
marigold is another remedy. 

362. A certain cure for Warts, — Steep in vinegar the inner 
rind of a lemon for twenty-four hours, and apply it to the wart. 
The lemon must not remain on more than three hours, and 
should be applied fresh every day. To apply acetic acid with 
a camel's hair-brush, is still better. 



363. Corr^ on the Feet, — These are usually made by wearing 
shoes over-tight ; but, walking on pavement in very thin shoes 
will cause corns and buaions, because of bruising the feet on 
the hard stones. 



364. To prevent Corns from growing on the Feet, — Easy shoes; 
frequently bathing the feet an lukewarm water, with a little salt 
or potashes dissolved in it. 



365. Sir H, Davyh Corn Solvent, — Potash, two parts ; salts 
of sorrel, one part ; each in fine powder. Mix, and lay a small 
quantity on the corn for four or five successive nights, binding 
it on with a rag. 



366. To cure Corns, — An effectual remedy, — The cause of 
corns, and likewise the torture they occasion, is simply friction ; 
and to lessen the friction, you have only to use your toe as you 
do in like circumstances a co^ch wheel — lubricate it with some 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. OT 

oily substance. The best and cleanest thing to use, is a little 
sweet oil rubbed on the affected part (after the corn is carefully 
pared) with the tip of the finger, which should be done on get- 
ting up in the morning, and just before stepping into bed at 
night. In a few days the pain will diminish, and in a few days 
more it will cease, when the nightly application may be dis- 
continued. 



367. Another cure for Corns. — Place the feet for half an hour 
for two or three nights successively, in a pretty strong solution 
of common soda. The alkali dissolves the indurated cuticle, 
and the corn falls out spontaneously, leaving a small excava- 
tion, which soon fills up. This is an almost certain remedy. 

868. To cure soft Corns, — Dip a soft linen rag in turpen-. 
tine, and place it over the corn night and morning. In a few 
days the corn will disappear. A little sweet oil rubbed on 
them is often of great service. Or, a small piece of cotton 
placed between the toes is sometimes efficacious ; or, the juice 
or pulp of a lemon. 



869. To cure Bunions in their commencement, — Bind the joint 
tightly, either with broad tape or adhesive plaster. The strip 
should be kept on as long as the least uneasiness is felt. It 
should wrap quite round the foot. 

870. Lotion for Chilblains, — Mix distilled vinegar and spirit 
of mindererus, of each four ounces, with half an ounce of borax. 

In common cases of chilblains, apply pieces of soft linen, 
moistened with spirits of camphor, soap liniment, camphor lini- 
ment, &;c. When the swellings break, apply emollient oint- 
ments for a few days. Equal quantities of sweet oil, lime 
water, and spirits of wine, are also an excellent remedy for 
chilblains 



871. Simple remedy for Chilblains, — Soak them in warm bran 
and water, then rub them well with mustard-seed flour; but it 
will be better if they are done before they break. 

872. Another remedy, — Cut an onion in thick slices, and with 
these rub the chilblains thoroughly, on two or three nights, 
before a good fire, and they will soon disappear. 



98 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

873. Sir A, Cooper* s Chilblain Liniment, — One ounce of cam- 
phorated spirit of wine, half an ounce of liquid subacetate of 
lead ; mix, and apply in the usual way three or four times a 
day. Some persons use vinegar as a preventive y its efficacy 
might be increased, by the addition to the vinegar of one-fourth 
of its quantity of camphorated spirit. 

374. I^ote, — Those who are most liable to chilblains, should, 
on the approach of winter, cover the parts most subject to be 
affected, with woollen gloves or stockings, and not expose the 
hands or feet too much to wet and cold. 



375. To stop violent Bleeding from a Cut, — Make a paste, 
by mixing fine flour with vinegar, and lay it on the cut. 



376. An excellent Styptic, — The outside woof of silk-worms 
has been tried with great success by several people, more 
especially by a lady, who, in mending a pen, cut her thumb 
to the bone, and through part of the nail; it bled profusely ; 
but, by trying this styptic, and binding up the wound, the 
hemorrhage stopped, and the wound healed in three days. 

377. A new and useful Styptic, — Take brandy, or common 
spirit, two ounces; Castile soap, two drachms; potash, one 
drachm ; scrape the soap fine, and dissolve it in the brandy ; 
then add th^ potash, and mix it well together, and keep it 
close stopped from the air in a phial. When you apply it, 
warm it in a vessel, or dip pledges of lint into it, and the blood 
will immediately congeal. It operates by coagulating the 
blood, both a considerable way within the vessels, as well as 
the extravasated blood without, and restraining, at the same 
time, the mouths of the vessels. 

It forms a valuable embrocation, in cases of tumors or swell- 
ings from bruises, by being frequently rubbed on the part. It 
is also used in a similar manner for rheumatic pains. 

378. To prevent Wounds from mortifying, — Sprinkle sugar 
on them. The Turks wash fresh wounds with wine, and sprinkle 
sugar on them. Obstinate ulcers may be cured with sugar 
dissolved in a strong decoction of walnut leaves. 

379. To cure Ring^worms. — Dissolve borax in water, and 
apply it* at first, it will produce a burning sensation and red- 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 9& 

ness ; it should then be discontinued for a few days, and being 
resumed, the ring-worm will soon disappear. 

To sponge the head daily with vinegar and water, in the pro- 
portion of half a pint of vinegar to a pint and a half of water, 
will prevent or cure ring-worms. 



380. Another cure for Ring -worms — To one part of sulphurio 
acid, add about twenty parts of water. Use a brush or fea- 
ther, and apply it to the part, night and morning:. A y^rj 
few dressings will generally cure. Jf the solution is too strong, 
dilute it with more water; and if the irritation is excessive, 
rub a little oil or other softening applicant ; but avoid soap. 

While the patches are in an inflamed and irritable condi- 
tion, it is necessary to limit the local applications to regular 
washing or sponging with warm water, or some softening fo- 
mentation. 



381. Cure for Erysipelas, — A simple poultice made of cran- 
berries, pounded fine, and applied in a raw state, has proved a 
certain remedy. 



382. Remedy for fainting, — First place the patient in the 
horizontal posture, throw cold water over the face, an.d bathe 
the hands with vinegar and water ; loosen the dress, and admit 
a free current of fresh, cool air. Pungent salts, ether, or eau 
de Cologne^ should be held occasionally to the nose, and the 
temples should be rubbed with either of the two latter. When 
the patient has partly recovered, a small quantity of wine, cold 
water, or ten or twenty drops of sal-volatile or ether, in water, 
should be given. 



383. Remedy for Fits, — If a person fall in a fit, let him re- 
main on the ground, provided his face be pale; for should it be 
fainting or temporary suspension of the heart's action, you may 
cause death by raising him upright, or by bleeding; but if the 
fiice be red or dark-colored, raise him on his seat, throw cold 
water on his head immediately ; cold water is the best re- 
storative. 



384. German method of preventing Hysterics. — Caraway 
seeds, finely pounded, with a small proportion of ginger and 
salt, spread ujion bread and butter, and eaten every day, espe- 



100 MgSr Hale's - KECEiPTS for the million. 

cially early m the morning, and at night, before going to bed, 
are successfully used in Germany, as a domestic remedy 
against hysterics. 

385. Stomachic Mixture,— Camphor julep, one ounce ; sweet 
spirit of nitre, half an ounce ; oompound tincture of cardamoms, 
spirit of anise-seed, of each ^yq drachms ; oil of caraway, twelve 
drops ; syrup of ginger, two drachms ; peppermint-water, two 
drachms. Mix. A table-spoonful occasionally in flatulency 
and dyspepsia. 

386. Red lavender drops for Nervous Attacks, — Fill a quart 
bottle with the blossoms of lavender, and pour on it as much 
brandy as it will contain ; let it stand ten days, then strain it, 
and add of nutmeg bruised, cloves, mace, and cochineal, a quar- 
ter of an ounce each, and bottle it for use. In nervous cases, 
a little may be taken dropped on a bit of sugar ; and in the 
beginning of a bowel complaint, a tea-spoonful, taken in half a 
glass of peppermint water, will often prove efficacious. 



387. Eggs in Jaundice. — The yolk of an Qgg^ either eaten 
raw, or slightly boiled, is perhaps the most salutary of all the 
animal substances. It is a natural soap, and, in all jaundice 
cases no food is equal to it. When the gall is either too weak, 
or^ by accidental means, is not permitted to flow in sufficient 
quantity into the duodenum, our food, which consists of watery 
and oily parts, cannot unite so as to become chyle. Such is 
the nature of the yolk of an Qgg^ that it is capable of uniting 
water and oil into an uniform substance, thereby making up 
for the deficiency of natural bile. — Dr, A. Hunter, 

388. Aperient for Children, — Gingerbread made with oat- 
meal instead of flour, is a very useful aperient for children. 



389. Cramp, — Cramp in the calves of the legs is a very dis- 
agreeable complaint, to which these who have their legs con- 
fined in tight boots are subject in travelling. An effectual pre- 
ventative of this pain, is to stretch out the heel of the leg as far 
as possible, at the same time drawing up the toes towards the 
body. 

A garter applied tightly round the limb affected will, in most 
oases, speedily remove this complaint. When it is more obsti- 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 101 

nate, a brick should be heated, wrapped in a flannel bag, and 
placed at the foot of the bed, against which the person troubled 
may place his feet. No remedy^ however, is equal to that ofdili- 
gent and long -continued friction. 

Cramp is apt to attack the calves of the legs and toes soon 
after retiring to rest. Get out of bed, and exercise the muscles 
vigorously. 



390. For Spasms, — Mix four table-spoonsful of camphor julep 
and twenty drops of sal-volatile, for a dose, to be repeated 
twice or thrice a day. 



391. To apply Leeches, — Make the part clean and dry, and 
dry the leeches in a clean cloth ; if this fail, scratch the surface 
of the skin with a point of a lancet, and apply the leech on the 
spot, moistened with the blood. To apply a number of leeches, 
put them into a very small wine-glass, which hold over them till 
they are fixed. If the skin be much inflamed and heated, pour 
a little tepid water into the water containing the leeches, boi^bre 
they are taken out to be applied. If sulphur be taken inter- 
nally, or applied externally, leeches will not bite ; neither will 
they bite if the skin be covered with perspiration ; or if there 
be tobacco smoke or vinegar-vapor in the room. 

All that is requisite to stop the bleeding, after the leech is 
taken away, is constant pressure on the spot ; a. piece of sponge 
or cotton, the size of a pin's head, is to be put upon the aper- 
ture, and kept there by cross slips of adhesive plaster spread 
upon linen, or the surgeon's strapping : if greater pressure be 
necessary, some linen may be placed between the stopper and 
the plaster. 

392. A useful embrocation for Rheumatism^ Lumbago, or 
Strains, — Half an ounce of strongest camphorated spirit, one 
ounce spirits of turpentine, one raw egg^ half pint best vinegar. 
Well mix the whole, and keep it closely corked. To be rubbed 
in three or four times a day. For rheumatism in the head, or 
face-ache, rub all over the back of the head and neck, as well 
as the part which is the immediate seat of pain. 

393. For Gout and Rheumatism, — Mix in one pound of 
honey one ounce of flour of sulphur, half an ounce of cream of 
tartar, two drachms of ginger, in powder, and half a nutmeg, 
grated ; for rheumatism, add half a drachm of gum-guaiacum, 



102 MRS. HALE's KECEIPT3 FOR THE MILLION. . 

powdered. The full dose is two tea-spoonsful at bed-time and 
early in the morning, in a tumbler of hot water. This is " the 
Chelsea Pensioners' recipe.'' 

394. Influenza. — Influenza is an Italian word, and means 
what we express in English by almost the same word, influence. 
The word as applied to this disease, originated from the belief 
held by our ancestors, of the influence of the stars upon human 
affairs. When a complaint suddenly appeared, and affected 
great numbers without an obvious cause, the visitation was 
ascribed to the stars. Whatever might have been the origin 
of the name, it is an appropriate one, for the Influenza certainly 
springs from some pervading influence. It may, for anything 
we can prove to the contrary, be occasioned by some subtle 
poison diffused throughout the atmosphere, which medical men 
call a miasm. Bad air, rising from marshy ground, occasions 
ague; and bad air arising from drains in towns, from cess-pools, 
and other collections of filth, gives rise to the worst kinds of 
fever. And it is not a matter of chance : the ague will continue 
in marshy countries till these are drained ; and in the dirty 
quarters of a large town, there is sure to be typhus fever. If 
we cannot, in these cases, see, taste, or touch the bad air, or 
even smell it, we know that fens poison the air with a matter 
that causes ague, and animal refuse with what causes fever and 
many other diseases. But, the existence of a peculiar poison 
in the air in influenza, is very doubtful. It is likely, however, 
and generally believed by medical men, that influenza arises 
from certain states or changes in the air connected with heat 
and moisture. Now, though it appears in hot weather and 
cold, in dry and wet, it may still depend on certain conditions 
of the weather, just as a person will sometimes take a cough 
in a warm moist day, and again in a dry east wind ; and just, 
in fact, as we see a fog, which depends on atmospheric changes, 
produced under different circumstances. The brisk air of the 
country often gives town-people a head-cold, and country people 
sometimes suffer in the same way when they visit town. Dur- 
ing every season, certain people have "head-colds," coughs, 
and "feverish colds." These are produced by certain states, 
of climate acting on certain states of constitution. At particular 
seasons such complaints abound—at others they abound still 
more ; and again, from some singularity, they prevail so much, 
that people say, there is an Influenza. 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 103 

In simple cases, confinement to a pure and temperate air, 
warm drinks, and a warm bath, or at least a warm foot-bath, 
with an extra blanket, and a little more rest than usual, keep- 
ing to mild food and toast and water, and taking, if necessary, 
a dose of aperient medicines — is all that is required. In serious 
eases, the domestic treatment must become professional. Mus- 
tard plasters to the back, relieve the head-ache. Squills, and 
other medicines, " loosen '' the outstanding cough. Bark and 
wine, and even cold baths, are sometimes requisite for the 
weakness left behind. But these things can only be used with 
discrimination by a regular professional man. 



395. For the Breath, — Persons who suffer from difficulty of 
breathing and oppression on the chest, will find great relief 
from the following simple contrivance. A tea-kettle is to be 
kept boiling, either over a fire or over a common night-lamp 
or nursing- candlestick. A tin tube is to be fitted on to the 
spout of the tea-kettle, of such length and form as to throw 
the steam in front of the sick person, who will then breathe 
in it. This prevents the distressing sensation occasioned by 
inhaling the cold night air, which will be felt by persons suffer- 
ing from asthma or water on the chest, and which is not ob- 
viated either by clothing or fire. 



396. To relieve Asthma, — Soak some blotting-paper in a strong 
solution of saltpetre ; dry it, take a piece about the size of your 
hand, and on going to bed, light it, and lay it upon a plate in 
your bed-room. By doing so, persons, however badly afflicted 
with asthma, will find that they can sleep almost as well as 
when in health. (Many persons have experienced relief from 
the use of this specific.) 



397. Relief for Asthma — another way, — Mix two ounces of 
the best honey with one ounce of castor oil, and take a tea- 
spoonful, night and morning. 



398. Garyle for Sore Throat, — On twenty five or thirty leaves 
of the common sage, pour a pint of boiling water ; let the 
infusion stand half an hour. Add vinegar enough to make it 
moderately acid, and honey to the taste. Use it as a gargle, 
several times a day. This combination of the astringent and 
emollient principle seldom fails to produce the desired effect. 



104 MKS. UAlaE3 EECEirTS FOR THE MILLION. 

399. To prevent Lamps from being pernicious to Asthmatui 
persons^ or others liable to Complaints of the Chest. — Let a sponge, 
three or four inches in diameter, be moistened with pure water, 
and in that state be suspended bj a string or wire, exactly 
over the flame of the lamp, at the distance of a few inches; 
this substance will absorb all the smoke emitted during the 
evening or night; after which, it should be rinsed in warm 
water, by which means it will be again render,^d fit for use. 



400. The use of Tar-water in expanding the Lungs of J^uhlie 
SjyeaJcers^ d:c. — It has been found by the experience of many, 
that drinking tar- water very much deterges and opens the 
lungs, and thereby gives a very sensibly greater ease in speak- 
ing. A quart of tar is to be stirred six minutes in a gallon of 
water ; but if there be somewhat less tar, it may do as well, 
especially at first, to try how it sits on the stomach. Take 
about one-fourth of a pint, at four several times, at a due dis- 
tance from meals. Begin taking it in the spring for about 
fourteen days, and continue it for a greater length of time, as 
occasion may require. 



401. To prevent Danger from Wet Clothes, — Keep if possible 
in motion, and take care not to go near a fire or into any very 
warm place, so as to occasion a sudden heat, till some time 
after you have been able to procure dry clothes. 



402. Cold and Damp Feet. — Nothing can be more erroneous 
than the notion that by pouring spirits into boots and shoes, 
when the feet are wet, will prevent the efl[ects of cold ;. on the 
contrary, the practice often produces cold, inflammation, and 
obstruction in the bowels. When the spirit reaches the feet, it 
immediately evaporates : the stronger it is, the more quickly it 
evaporates, and the greater is the cold produced. 

403. For Whooping Cough. — Mix two tea-spoonfuls of pare- 
goric elixir, one table- spoonful of oxymel of squills, ana the 
same quantity of w^ater and mucilage of gum-arabic. A tea- 
spoonful may be takqn three or four times a-day, or when 
the cough is troublesome. 

Treat the whooping cough with the same care as you wouM 
any other cough, Keep the children warmly clothed, and dryly 
iodgedj and in the house, at all times, except in warm sunny 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 105 

days, when air and exercise in moderation, observing that they 
do not overheat themselves, may do good. Put their feet in a 
pan of warm \^ater just before they go to bed, and be careful 
to wipe them dry and wrap them in flannel. During the day 
they must wear woollen stockings and thick-soled shoes. Let 
their drink be toast-water, tea and raspberry vinegar mixed 
with water, two table-spoonfuls to a half-pint, or less if it be 
very sharp. Red or black currant-jelly dissolved in watei 
makes a pleasant, cool drink. Be sure you give no kind of 
quack medicines — but an occasional dose of simple opening 
medicine, if the bowels are confined ; and a quarter of a grain, 
or half a grain of plain ipecacuanha powder in a tea-spoonful of 
gruel or jelly at bed-time. Rub the chest and between the 
shoulders, with equal parts of rum and turpentine, adding a lit- 
tle oil, if it is too harsh for the skin. The child might suck an 
ipecacuanha lozenge two or three times a-day. Effervescent^ 
saline draughts are very grateful and beneficial, where there is 
not only continual nausea, but frequent sickness from the 
spasmodic nature of the cough. If it be attended with pain in 
the chest or side, seek advice from a medical fhan without 
delay. 



404. For common Coughs, — Mix one ounce of oil of almonds, 
one drachm of powdered gum arabic, one ounce of syrup, and 
one gunce and a half of water ; take a tea-spoonful or two oc- 
casionally. 



405. Winter Cough, — Mix two ounces of oxymel of stramo- 
nium with six ounces of the decoction of Iceland moss; take 
a dessert-spoonful when the cough is troublesome. 



406. For Cough and Hoarseness. — Beat well a newly laid 
Qgg^ and stir it into a quarter of a pint of new milk, warmed, 
to which add a table-spoonful of capillaire. 

A piece of anchovy will almost instantly restore the just 
tone of voice to any one who has become hoarse by public 
speaking. 



407. White Mixture for Coughs, — Beat well the yolk of an 
esrg, mix with it in a mortar half a drachm of powdered 
Fpermaceti, a little loaf sugar and twenty drops of lauda- 



106 MKS. HALE's KECEirXS FOR THE MILLION, 

num (tincfcure of opium) ; add a gill of water, and mix well : a 
table-spoonful of this mixture will relieve an obstinate cough. 

Or, mix half a pint of almond emulsion, two drachms of 
syrup of poppies, the same of oxymel of squills, and one 
drachm of powder of gum tragacanth ; two table-spoonfuls to 
be taken often. 



408. Colds. — A daily exposure to the outward air is abso- 
lutely necessary to secure us against the injurious influence of 
our variable climate. For cure of catarrh, reduce the amount 
of food, take exercise, keep the bowels open, and bathe the feet 
in warm water at bed-time. — Henderson, 



409. For a Cold in the Head. — What is called a head-bath 
is useful. Fill a wash-hand basin with boiling water, and add 
an ounce of flour of mustard ; then hold the head, covered with 
a cloth to prevent the escape of the steam, over the basin as 
long as any steam arises. 



410. For a troublesome Cough.^ — Take of treacle and the best 
white wine vinegar six table-spoonfuls each ; add forty drops of 
laudanum ; mix it well, and put it into a bottle. A tea-spoon- 
ful to be taken occasionally when the cough is troublesome. 



411. For a sudden Hoarseness. — Mix one tea-spoonful of 
sweet spirfts of nitre in a vv ine-glassful of water. This may be 
taken two or three times a day. 



412. Hoarseness. — A piece of flannel, dipped in brandy, and 
applied to the chest, and covered with a dry flannel, is to bo 
worn all night. Four or^ six small onions, boiled, and put on 
buttered toast, and eaten for supper, are likewise good for colds 
on the chest. 



413. — Childrems Coughs. — A few tea-spoonfuls of warm 
treacle taken occasionally, and particularly at bed-time, or 
when the cough is troublesome, will be found beneficial, espe- 
cially for infants and children. 

414. For a " hacking'^' Coz^^A.— Dissolve an ounce of mutton 
6uet in a pint of milk, and drink it warm. 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 107 

415. For a Cough, — Mix vinegar and treacle in equal quan- 
tities, and let a tea-spoonful be taken occasionally, when the 
cough is troublesome. This is the recipe of Dr. James, of 
Carlisle. 



416. Quinsy^ or Ulcerated Sore Throat, — Bake or roast three 
or four large onions or six smaller ones, till soft. Peel them 
quickly, and beat them flat with a rolling-pin or glass bottle. 
Then put them immediately in a thin muslin bag that will 
reach from ear to ear, and about three inches deep. Apply it 
speedily, and as warm as possible, to the throat. Keep it on 
day and night, changing it when the strength of the onions ap- 
pears to be exhausted, and substituting fresh ones. Flannel 
must be worn round the neck after the poultice is removed. 



417. Saline Draught, — Dissolve one scruple of carbonate of 
potassa, (salt of tartar), in a table-spoonful of lemon-juice, and 
three table- spoonfuls of water ; sweeten with lump sugar, and 
drink while it effervesces. This is an excellent remedy for 
sore throats, nausea, &;c. 



418. Another, — Dissolve one drachm each of nitric acid and 
carbonate of potassa in three-quarters of a pint of water ; add 
one ounce each of syrup of orange-peel and spirit of nutmeg, 
and mix. Two table-spoonfuls to be taken in fevers and inflam- 
matory sore throats. 



419. To make Gargles, — For relaxed sore throat, mix five 
ounces of Cayenne pepper gargle, two ounces of infusion of 
roses, and one ounce of syrup of roses. 

Or, mix with the Cayenne pepper gargle, three ounces of 
vinegar, three drachms of tincture of myrrh, and four drachms 
of honey of roses. 

For inflammatory sore throats, mix six ounces of infusion of 
roses, one ounce of tincture of myrrh, and one ounce of honey 
of roses. 

Or, mix one drachm and a half of saltpetre, two ounces of 
honey, and six ounces of rose water. 

For scorbutic gums, mix six ounces of infusion of roses, one 
ounce of borax, and one ounce of honey of roses. 

To make the Cayenne pepper gargle, pour six ounces of boil- 



108 MRS. kale's receipts for the million. 

ing water upon one scruple of Cayenne pepper; cover it, and 
let it stand for three hours. 



420. To cure Hiccough, — This is caused by flatulency, indi- 
gestion, and acidity. It may be relieved generally by a sudden 
fright or surprise, or any sudden application of cold ; also by 
drinking cold water slowly, eating a small piece of ice, taking 
a pinch of snuif, or anything that excites coughing. Or, take 
one tea-spoonful of common vinegar. 

421. A simple cure for Dysentery — which has never failed, — 
Take some butter off the churn, immediately after being churn- 
ed, just as it is, without being salted or washed ; clarify it over 
the fire like honey. Skim oft* all the milky particles when 
melted over a clear fire. Let the patient (if an adult) take two 
table-spoonfuls of the clarified remainder, twice or thrice within 
the day. This has never failed to effect a cure, and in many 
cases it has been almost instantaneous. 



422. ^or Diarrhoea, — Fill a tea-cup with dry flour, press it 
down, and cover it with a buttered cloth, tying it very closely ; 
boil it three hours, when turn it out to cool into a hard mass. 
Grate a tea or a dessert-spoonful of it into peppermint water 
for children, or into a glass of port wine for adults. 



423. CJialJc Mixture, — Mix half an ounce of prepared chalk, 
the same of lump sugar, and one ounce of powdered gum 
Arabic, with a pint of water. This is an excellent remedy for 
diarrhoea. 



424. Fig Paste for Constipation, — Cut up small one pound 
of figs, and mix it with two ounces of senna carefully picked 
over, and one tea-cupful of molasses ; stew it till it becomes 
thoroughly mixed and firm ; then cool it. A piece iabout half 
as large as a fig will generally be sufficient. 

425. Laxatives, — Infusions of Epsom salts and senna are 
often taken as laxatives, or opening medicines. It is a well- 
known fact, that a tea-spoonful of salts in a tumbler of cold 
water, if drunk before breakfast, is as effectual a dose as the 
usual ounce. Senna, too, if steeped in cold water, is equally 
efficacious, and free from the nauseous bitter taste which it has 
when infused in boiling water. 



HEALTH AND BEAUTT. 109 

426. To cure Boils. — Boil in half a pint of milk one table- 
spoonful of shot; pour it off, and drink it in small doses. 

427. To cure a Felon, — A felon generally appears on the 
end of the fingers or thumbs; it is extremely painful for weeks, 
and sometimes for months, and, in most cases, cripples or dis- 
figures the finger or thumb that falls a victim to it. But it 
can easily be cured, if attended to in time. As soon as the 
pain is felt, take the thin white skin of an egg^ which is found 
inside next to the shell ; put it round the end of the finger or 
thumb affected, and keep it there until the pain subsides. As 
soon as the skin becomes dry, it will be very painful, and 
likely continue so for half an hour or more ; but be not alarmed. 
If it grows painful, bear it ; it will be of short duration in com- 
parison to what the disease would be. A cure will be certain. 



BURNS AND SCALDS. 

428. We mention several remedies which have obtained 
popular reputation in these accidents, and which are valuable 
not only as giving more or less relief, but as being generally 
at hand, or to be readily procured in every dwelling. They 
are, wheat flour, which may be thicl^ly sprinkled over the 
injured parts with a common kitchen dredger, till a perfect 
crust is formed — an excellent application. Finely-scraped 
chalk or magnesia, applied in the same way. These act both 
by excluding the atmospheric air, and absorbing the fluid se- 
creted by the vessels of the inflamed surface. Another appli- 
cation reported to be very efficacious in allaying the pain, is a 
piece of lint wetted with a saturated solution of carbonate of 
soda. A poultice of grated raw turnip or potato, applied cold, 
is quickly productive of ease in slight burns, but requires renew- 
ing often enough to keep tip the sensation of coldness. 



429. Burns, — Apply to, or wrap round the burnt part, some 
folds of cotton bought in sheets ; however severe the pain may 
be, it will abate in a few hours. Should blisters arise, they 
may next day be carefully pricked with a needle, so as to break 
the skin as little as possible ; and the cotton kept on till the 
cure is effected. 



110 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

430. A Temedy for a Burn or Scald, — Apply immediately a 
thick covering of wool to the burnt part, and bind it on tight ; 
in the course of half an hour very little pain will be felt, and 
scarcely any blister will remain. As this remedy is so simple, 
no housekeeper should be without loose wool at hand, in case 
of an accident. This remedy was discovered by the child of a 
woolcomber having been dreadfully scalded : its mother laid it 
in a basket of newly carded wool, whilst she ran for a doctor ; 
when she returned, she found the child fast asleep amongst the 
wool, and when it awoke the excessive pain had subsided. We 
have frequently tried it, and invariably with success. 



431. For Burns and Scalds. — Plunge the injured part into 
cold spring or ice water ; or, lay on it pounded ice wrapped 
in linen. 

Or, dissolve four ounces of alum in a quart of hot water; 
dip a cloth into it, and lay it on the part. As soon as it be- 
comes hot and dry, repeat the application. 

Apply to a burn, bruise, or cut, the moist surface of the 
inside coating of the shell of a raw egg ; it will adhere of itself, 
and heal without pain. 



432. Efficacy of Vinegar in curing Burns and Scalds, — Vinegar 
is a great antiseptic and corrector of putrescence and mortifica- 
tion. The progressive tendency of burns of the unfavorable 
kind, or those that are ill-treated, is to putrescence and mortifi- 
cation. When the outward skin is not broken, it may be freely 
used every hour or two ; where the skin is broken, and if it 
gives pain, it mu^t be gently used. But, equal parts of tepid 
vinegar and water applied every three or four hours, is the 
best rule to be directed by. 

433. Vitriol Accidents. — For a burn by vitriol, or any simi- 
lar cause, lay on, with a feather, the white of eggs mixed with 
powdered chalk, and immediate relief will follow. 

Or, immediately after the accident, plunge the scalded limb 
in spirit of turpentine, and keep it there a few minutes. 

Or, dissolve in water or fresh soap-boilers' lees, a little soda 
or potash, and apply it instantly, and it will prevent all injury 
to the person or clothing. 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. Ill 



FEVERS. 



434. Feverish symptoms in young children may be reduced^ 
and often entirely cured by sponging in tepid or cold water, 
according to the age and condition of the patient. Rest, in a 
clean bed, after sponging, is necessary. Should the fever con- 
tinue, a gentle emetic may be given. Cold water is the best 
beverage in fevers, but if very thirsty, give the child a little 
warm tea. 



435. Dr, Dickson's cure for a Fever. — When a man is hot, 
and his skin dry all over, no matter what the cause be, you 
may bring his condition to the state of health by throwing cold 
water over him. You may do the same by an emetic. Oh ! 
an emetic has a wonderful power in fever; and the old physi- 
cians treated all fevers in the first instance by emetics. They 
did not trouble themselves much about the cause. The state 
of the patient was what they cared most about. When he was 
cold, they warmed him, sometimes with one thing, sometimes 
with another. When hot, they cooled him ; not in the Sangra- 
do fashion of these days, by draining him of his life's blood ; 
but by the employment of an emetic, or by sponging him over 
with cold water ! 



436. Uasy and almost instantaneous cure for the Fever and 
Ague, — An hour or two before the fit comes on, take a new- 
laid eggj in a glass of vinegar or brandy, and go to bed imme- 
diately. 

This very simple recipe has cured a great many, after more 
celebrated preparations have proved uu successful. 

437. Cure for Yellow Fever, — The New Orleans Tropic 
gives the following recipe, which is said to be used with great 
success in Mexico, in cases of yellow fever : "A tumbler two- 
thirds full of olive oil, well mixed with the juice of two limes^ 
and a tea-spoonful of fine table salt, is the common remedy in 
that country ; that he has seen it used in hundreds of cases, 
many of them the most desperate he ever saw. and that he never 
knew it fail to produce a cure in a solitary instance ! It some- 
times causes tlie patient to vomit; in such cases it should be 
repeated until the stomach will retain it. 



113 MRS. hale's receipts for the MILLIOy. 

4oS. Treatment of Scurlet Fever — important prescription,-^ 
Dr. Lindsly, of Washington, strongly recommends the mode of 
treatment of scarlet fever, resorted to by Dr. Schneemann, 
physician to the King of Hanover. It is as follows, and exceed- 
ingly simple : 

Treatment of Scarlet Fever by inunction. — From the first day 
of the illness, and as soon as we are certain of its nature, the 
patient must be rubbed mornino: and evening over the whole 
body with a piece of bacon, in such a manner that, with the 
exception of the head, a covering of fat is everywhere applied. 
In oi*der to make this rubbing-in somewhat easier, it is best to 
take a piece of bacon the size of the hand, cfioosing a part still 
armed with the rind, that we may have a firm grasp. On the 
soft side of this piece slits are to be made, in order to allow the 
oozing out of the tat. The rubbing must be thoroughly per- 
formed, and not too quickly, in order that the skin may be regu- 
larly saturated with the fat. The beneficial results of the 
application are soon obvious; with a rapidity bordering on 
magic, all, even the most painful symptoms of the disease are 
allayed ; quiet, sleep, good humor, appetite, return ; and ther« 
remains only the impatience to quit the sick room. 

439. Inflammatory Fevers, — In diseases termed " inflamma- 
tory," what measure so ready or so efficacious as to dash a 
pitcher or two of cold water over the patient — Cold Affusion, 
as it is called ? Whilst servinor in the armv, I cured hundreds 
of inflammatory fevers in this manner — fevers, that, in the 
higher ranks of society, under the bleeding and starving sys 
terns — would have kept an apothecary and physician — to say 
nothing of nurses and cuppers — visiting the patient twice or 
khrice a -day for a month, it he happened to live so long. 

Gentlemen, with the cold dash you may easily, 

*' While others meanly take whole months to slay," 
Produce a cure m half a summer's dav. — Db, 1)ick3ox. 



440. Beverage for Fevers — Boil two drachms of powdered 
alum in a pint of milk, and strain. The draught is a wine- 
glassful. 

441. Jtfustard Poultices, — Make a bag of the size required 
of fine, close muslin ; mix equal quantities of mustard and flour, 
(or a larger proportion of mustard, should the case require it). 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 113 

with boiling water, until of a proper consistency. Fill the bag 
with it; sew it up, and, covering it with a handkerchief or piece 
of clean, soft linen, apply it to the parr atfected. When it has 
been on long enougli, take it off, and lay ou another piece of 
soft linen. 



442. Bread Poultice, — Mr. Abernethy directs i» biead and 
water poultice to be made as follows : — Put half a pint of hut 
water into a pint basin ; add to this as much of the crumb of 
bread as the water will cover, then place a plate over the basin, 
and let it remain about ten minutes; stir the bread about in 
the water, or, if necessary, chop it a little with the edge of a 
knife, and drain off the water, by holding the knife on the top 
of the basin, but do not press the bread as is usually done; 
then take it out lightly, spread it about one-third of an inch 
thick on some soft linen, and lay it upon the part. If it be a 
wound, you may place a bit of lint dipped in oil beneath tlie 
poultice. Thei*e is nothing better than the bread poultice for 
broken surfaces. 



443. Linseed Poultice — Is made bv simplv mixinfij linseed 
meal into a paste with hot water. 

444. Mancigcmciit of BlUters, — Spre^id the phxster thinly on 
paper or linen, and rub over it a few drops of olive oil. In 
this way the blister acts speedily, and with le^s irritation tliaii 
usual. 

445. Simple Ointment, — This is made by melting in a pip- 
kin, by the side of the fire, without boiling, one part of yellow 
or white wax, and two parts of hog's lard or olive oil. 

44t>. Spermaceti Ointment. — This consists of a quarter of an 
ounce of white wax, three quarters of an ounce of spermaceti, 
and three ounces of olive oil, melted as before. Tliis is tht» 
common dressing for a blist<:M-. 

447. Elder- fiowcr Ointment, — This is the mildest, blandest^ 
and most cooling ointment which can be used; and it is very 
suitable for anointing the face or neck when sun-burnt>. It is 
made of fresh elder-tiowers, stripped from the stalks, two p<.)unds{ 
uf which are sinunered in an equal quantity of hog's-lard till 
8 



A14 MRS. bale's receipts for the milltov^ 

they become crisp ; after which, the ointment, whilst fluid, is 
strained through a coarse sieve. 



448. Calamine Ointment^ or Turner s Cerate. — This consists 
of half a pound of yellow wax and a pint of olive oil, which are 
to be melted together ; this being done, half a pound of cala- 
mine powder is to be sifted in, and stirred till the whole be 
completely mixed. 



449. Sulphur Ointment, — This is made by rubbing well to- 
gether three ounces of flowers oi sulphur and half a pound of 
hog's lard. This ointment, if properly applied, is a certain 
cure for that nastiest of all nasty, and most easily-caught dis- 
ease, the itch, which, although generally found among poor 
people, occasionally steals into the houses of the wealthy. The 
proper mode of managing it is, for the infected to rub himself 
well all over with the ointment, night and morning, for three 
days, during which time he must wear, without change, some 
old body-linen, stockings, and gloves, and lie in a pair of old 
sheets or blankets. Washing in the least degree is to be care- 
fully avoided as the plague, for it will protract the cure. On 
the fourth day let him go into a warm bath, wash himself 
clean, and he will then be found quite well. Everything which 
had been worn during the cure should be burnt, sheets and all ; 
but the blankets may be scoured. 



PLASTERS, BLISTERS, OINTMENTS, &;c. 

450. The beneficial influence obtained from all such local ap- 
plications depends upon the change of temperature they are 
capable of producing. Their results will vary with constitu- 
tions. Most patients, who suffer from chronic disease, point to 
a particular spot as the locality where they are most incom- 
moded with '' cold chills." • This is the point for the application 
of the galbanum or other " warm plaster." A plaster of this 
kind to the loins has enabled me to cure a host of diseases that 
had previously resisted every other mode of treatment. The 
same application to the chest, when the patient complained of 
chilliness in that particular part, has materially aided me in the 
treatment of many cases of phthisis. In both instances, where 
heat was the more general complaint, cold sponging has been 
allowed by an equally beneficial efifect. 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 115 

The ingredients of plasters, blisters, ointments, lotions, &c., 
what are they but combinations of the agents with which we 
combat fever? Their beneficial influence depends upon the 
change of motion and temperature which they produce by theij 
electrical or chemical action on the nerves of the part to which 
they are directed. Cantharides will not blister the dead — they 
have very little effect even on a dying man ! — Dr Dickson^ s 
Lectures, 



451. Liquid Opodeldoc, — Dissolve one ounce of camphor in 
a little spirits of wine, and two ounces of soft soap in a little 
water ; put these into a bottle, add half a drachm of oil of rose- 
mary and the same of oil of thyme ; shake them well together; 
add three-quarters of a pint of spirits of wine, and a quarter of 
a pint of water ; set it in a warm place, and shake it occasion- 
ally, for a few days. This is an ex^llent remedy for bruises, 
sprains, chilblains, &;c. 

452. Extract of Arnica, for Bruises, Sprains^ Burns ^ dtc, — 
Take one ounce of arnica flowers, dried ; that prepared by the 
Shakers is considered the best ; and put them in a wide-mouthed 
bottle ; pour just enough scalding water over them to moisten 
them, and afterwards about a pint or a pint and a half of spirits 
of wine. In case of a burn or bruise, &;c., wet a cloth in the 
arnica and lay it on the part affected. Renew the application 
occasionally, and the pain will soon be removed. 



453. For a Sprain, — Mix equal parts of spirit of camphor, 
distilled vinegar, and turpentine, and rub the part affected. 

Cold water applications are excellent for sprains ; as, to 
bathe the part in cold water, to pour cold water upon it, or to 
put bandages wet in cold water around it. 

Extract of arnica, applied to a sprain, will remove the pain 
in a short time. 



454. Contusions or Bruises, — In slight bruises, and those not 
likely to be followed by much inflammation, nothing more is 
usually necessary than to bathe the part in cold water, or with 
spirit, as eau de Cologne, brandy, &;c., mixed with an equal 
proportion of vinegar and water. In more severe cases, how- 
ever, and where the accident is near an important part, as the 



116 MRS. bale's receipts rOR THE 2IILLiOX. 

eye, or any of the joints, it becomes a desirable object to pre- 
vent the approach of inflammation. This is to be attempted 
by the application of leeches, repeating them according to cir- 
cumstances ; purgatives and a low diet may become necessary. 
In the last stage of a bruise, where there is merely a want of 
tone in the parts, and swellings from the effused blood, &c., 
friction should be employed, either simply, or with any com- 
mon liniment, as opodeldoc. Wearing a bandage, pumping 
cold water on the part, succeeded by warm friction, also a satu- 
rated solution of common salt in water, have each been found 
beneficial. The roots of bryony and Solomon's seal, bruised 
and applied as a poultice, are efficacious in hastening the disap 
pearance of the lividity of bruises. 



455. lAme Water, — Pour three quarts of water upon eight 
pounds of unslaked lime ; let stand half an hour, when add 
three gallons of water, and pour it off. 

It is useful in cases of derangement of the digestive organs. 



456. Walnut Water. — This is recommended as a remedy in 
subduing nausea and vomiting, if administered in doses of a 
wine-glassful every half-hour. It is distilled from green walnuts, 
angeiica-stieds, and brandy. 

457. JJfies of Borax. — Powdered borax, mixed with honey, 
or conserve of roses, is an excellent remedy for inside sores of 
the mouths of childjen. 

If a little of the mixture be dissolved in warm \tater, it will 
form, when cold, an efficacious gargle for an ulcerated sore 
throat. 

If a weak solution of borax in rose-water be constantly ap 
plied, by means of a fine linen cloth, over the redness which 
often affects the noses of delicate persons, it will relieve the 
sense of heat, and remove the redness. Many other spots on 
the face may be similarly removed. 

It is likewise a very useful application to chilblains. 



458. The virtues of Sage. — This valuable herb was held in 
such high esteem among ihe ancients, that they have left us a 
Latin verse, which signifies — 

*' Why should a man die whilst he has sage in his garden P^ 



liEALTII Alsh BEAVTY, 117 

It IS reckoned admirable as a cordial, and to sweeten and 
cleanse the blood. It is good in nervous cases, and is given in 
fevers, with a view to promote perspiration. With the addition 
of a little lemon-juice, it is very grateful and cooling. 



459. Saje Tea, — Wood sage, which grows naturally, is the 
finest kind ; with a little alum it makes an excellent gargle for 
a sore throat. It may be made as tea, but is better if boiled. 



460. Senna Tea, — Macerate for an hour, in a covered vessel, 
one ounce and a half of senna, a drachm of ginger, sliced, and 
a pint of boiling water ; the dose is from one-half to a wine- 
glassful. Or, mix two drachms of senna, with a little Bohea 
tea, in a quarter of a pint of boiling water, and add, when pour- 
ed off clear, a little sugar and milk. 

461. Chamomile ^^a.— Take of chamomile flowers one ounce, 
boiling water, one quart ; simmer for ten minutes, and strain. 

Chamomile tea is well known as an emetic, when taken in a 
tepid state. In some parts of England, a strong infusion of 
chamomile is frequently taken at bed4irae, as hot as it can be 
swallowed, when it produces perspiration, and next morning 
acts as a purgative. It is also there considered as one of the 
best remedies for indigestion, colic, pains and obstructions of 
the bowels, especially when arising from cold. A cup of coffee 
taken hot on an empty stomach, will frequently be as efficacious 
as the chamomile, in either of the above cases. 

A small cupful of the tea, cold, taken in the morning, fasting, 
is often serviceable for indigestion. Chamomiles are also em- 
ployed in fomentations, their greatest use being to retain the 
heat of the application. 



462. Linseed Tea, — Pour two quarts of boiling water upon 
one ounce of linseed, and two drachms of liquorice-root, sliced ; 
let it stand six hours. 



463. Mint Tea, — Mint, to be used as tea, should be cut 
when just beginning to flower, and should be dried in the shade. 
The young leaves are eaten in salads, and some eat them as the 
leaves of sage, with bread and butter. 

464. Nitre is a cheap and valuable medicine, both cooling 
and purifying to the blood. In the feverishncss that attend:? 



118 MRS. bale's receipts for the milijon. 

a cold, from seven to ten grains of purified nitre, in a glass of 
water, may be taken two or three times a day, with safety and 
advantage. For old wounds, such as are commonly called 
" a bad leg," great benefit will be derived from taking a solu 
tion of nitre, prepared thus : — In one pint of boiling water, dis- 
solve two ounces of saltpetre ; of which take a table-spoonful 
twice a day. If it should occasion pain, a little hot ginger-tea 
will soon give relief. 



465. To make Verjuice, — The acid of the juice of the crab or 
wilding is called by the country people, verjuice, and is much 
used in recent sprains, and in other cases, as an astringent or 
repellant. 

466. Medicines in Travelling, — In case of change of food dis- 
agreeing with the stomach, dissolve a tea-spoonful of Epsom 
salts in half a pint of water, as warm as it can be drunk, and 
repeat the dose every half-hour, until it operates. 

For diarrhoea, or acidity of stomach, mix one drachm of 
compound powder of kino, with half an ounce of compound 
powder of chalk ; divide into six powders, and take one or two 
a day, in three table-spoonfuls of water, and a tea-spoonful of 
brandy. 

467. To prevent Sea-sickness. — Pass a broad belt round the 
body, and place within it, on the region of the stomach, a 
pad stufTtid with wool or horse-hair ; this, when tightly braced, 
restrains the involuntary motion of the stomach, occasioned by 
the lurching of the vessel. During sickness, very weak cold 
brandy and water will be found the best means of allaying the 
heat and irritation. 

The frequent use of any sea-sickness preventive is, however, 
attended with dano;er. 



468. Valuable 2^'i^operties of Cherry-tree Gum, — The gum that 
exudes from the trunk and branches of the cherry-tree is equal 
to gum-arabic. Hasselquist relates that, duriag a siege, more 
than an hundred men Vv'ere kept alive for two months nearly, 
without any other sustenance than a little of this gum taken 
into the mouth sometimes, and suffered gradually to dissolve. 

469. How to get Sleep, — How to get sleep is to many persons 
a matter of high importance. Nervovis persons who are trou 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 119 

Died with wakefulness and exdtability, usually have a strong 
tendency of blood on the brain, with cold extremities. The 
pressure of the blood on the brain keeps it in a stimulated or 
wakeful state, and the pulsations in the head are often painful. 
Let such rise and chafe the body and extremities with a brush 
or towel, or rub smartly with the hands to promote circulation 
and withdraw the excessive amount of blood from the brain, 
and you will sleep in a few moments. A cold bath, or a 
sponge bath and rubbing, or a good run, or a rapid walk in the 
open air, or going up or down stairs a few times, just before 
retiring, will aid in equalizing circulation, and promoting sleep_ 
These rules are simple and easy of application in castle oi 
cabin, and minister to the comfort of thousands who would 
freely expend money for an anodyne to promote "Nature's 
sweet restorer, balmy sleep." 

470. Remedy for Bad Breath, — Take from five to ten drops 
of muriatic acid, in an ale-glassful of barley-water, and add a 
little lemon-juice and lemon-peel to flavor ; mix for a draught 
to be taken three times a day, for a month or six weeks at 
least, and, if effectual, it may be continued occasionally, ' 
Another medicine of this kind, which has often proved benefi- 
cial when the stomach has been wrong, and the bowels costive, 
is the following : Take one drachm of sulphate of magnesia, 
two drachms of tincture of calumba, one ounce, and a half of 
infusion of roses ; make a draught, to be taken every morning, 
or every other morning, an hour before breakfast, for at least a 
month. 



471. Corpulence, — Those who are afflicted with corpulence 
should not allow themselves above six hours' sleep in the 
twenty-four. They should take as much exercise as possible, 
and avoid cream, malt liquors and soups — at least until they 
have succeeded in reducing their bulk. Salt provisions are 
good, having a tendency to promote perspiration, and carry off 
fat. Soda water is also beneficial. Recipe : Take Castile soap, 
in the form of pills, or electuary, of from one to four drachms 
dissolved in a quarter of a pint of soft wator, when going to 
bed. But let not our lovely girls abuse .their constitutions by 
drinking vinegar for this purpose, for consumption has often 
been produced by that habit. 



120 MRS. bale's receipts for the miluox. 

472. Leanness. — This is not a disease ; on the contrary, lean 
people are generally healthy, muscular, strong, and active, and 
remarkable for a keen appetite. But when there appears a 
diminution of strength — when the spirits sink, and the food does 
not freely digest — then leanness is the sign of lurking disease. 
Such patients should take a cup of milk warm from the cow 
every morning, or cold milk, with two raw fresh eggs beaten 
up with it. A pint of the best porter or stout at dinner, and 
the same at supper. Tea is better than coffee, and salad with 
strong supplies of oil, not much vinegar, are recommended. 

473. Cure for Stammering. — Impediments in the speech may 
be cured, where there is no malformation of the organs of ar- 
ticulation, by perseverance for three or four months in the 
simple remedy of reading aloud, with the teeth closed, for at 
least two hours in the course of each day. 



POISONS AND ANTIDOTES. 

474. Acids. — These cause great heat, and sensation of burn- 
ing pain, from the mouth down to the stomach. Remedies, 
magnesia, soda, pearlash, or soap, dissolved in water ; then use 
stomach-pump or emetics. 



475. Alcohol., — First cleanse out the stomach by an emetic? 
then dash cold water on the head, and give ammonia (spirits 
of hartsfiorn.) 



47G. AlJcalies.^—Qest remedy is vinegar. 



477. Ammonia. — Remedy, lemon-juice or vinegar, afterwards 
milk and water or flaxseed tea. 



478. — Arsenic. — ^Remedies, in the first place evacuate the 
stomach, then give the white of eggs, lime-water, or chalk and 
water, charcoal and the preparations of iron, particularly 
hydrate. 



479. Belladonna., or Xight Henbane. — Give emetics, and then 
plenty of vinegar and water or lemonade. 



HEAtTH AND BEAUTr. 121 

480. Charcoal, — In poisons by carbonic gas, remove the pa- 
tient to open air, dash cold water on the head and body, and 
stimulate nostrils and lungs by hartshorn, at the same time 
rubbing the chest briskly. 

481. Corrosiw Sublimate, — Give white of eggs freshly 
mixed with wator, or give wheat flour and water, or soap and 
water freely. 



482. Creosote, — White of eggs and the emetics. 

483. Laudanum, — Same as opium. 



484. Lead, White Lead and Sugar of Lead, — Remedies, 
alum, cathartic, such as castor oil and Epsom salts, especially. 



485. Mushrooms^ when poisonous, — Give emetics, and then 
plenty of vinegar and water, with dose of ether, if handy. 

486. Nitrate of Silver^ {lunar caustic), — Give a strong solu 
tion of common salt, and then emetics. 



487. Nitrate of Potash^ or Saltpetre, — Give emetics, then 
copious draughts of flaxseed tea, milk and water, and other 



soothing drinks. 



488. Opium, — First give a strong emetic of mustard and 
water, then strong coflee and acid drinks, dash cold water on 
the head. 



489. Oxalic Acid, — Frequently mistaken for Epsom Salts. 
Remedies, chalk, magnesia, or soap and water freely, then 
emetics. 



490. Prussic Acid, — When there is time, administer chlo- 
rine, in the shape of soda or lime. Hot brandy and water 
Hartshorn and turpentine also useful. 



491. Snake Bites, <&c, — Apply immediately strong hartshorn, 
and take it internally; also, give sweet oil, and stimulants 
freely. Apply a ligature tight above the part bitten, and then 
apply a cupping-glass. 



122 MRS. hale's receipts for ^the million. 

492. Tartar Umetic.—Give large doses of tea made of galls, 
Peruvian bark, or white oak bark. 



493. Tobacco, — First an emetic, then astringent teai then 
stimulants. • 



494. Verdigris. — Plenty of white of egg and water. 

495. Wliite Vitriol, — Give the patient plenty of milk and 
water. 

In almost all cases of poisoning, emetics are highly useful, 
and of those, one of the very best, because most prompt and 
ready, is the common mustard flour or powder, a spoonful of 
which, stirred up in warm water, may be given every five or 
ten minutes, until free vomiting can be obtained. 

Emetics and warm demulcent drinks, such as milk and 
water, flaxseed or slippery elm tea, chalk water, &;c., should be 
administered without delay. The subsequent management of 
the case will of course be left to a physician. 



496. To prevent Death from the Bite of Venemous Animals, — 
From observations made by Dr. Bancroft, it is found, that in 
South America, where the most venomous serpents abound, 
a very tight ligature, instantly made after the bite, between the 
part bitten and the trunk of the body, will prevent immediate 
danger, and allow time for proper means of remedy, either by 
excision of the whole joint, just above the ligature, or by topical 
applications upon the part bitten. 

For instance, if the bite should be upon the end of the finger, 
a tight ligature of small cord should immediately be made be- 
yond the next joint of the finger. 

If the bite is on any part of the hand, the ligature should 
le mside above the wrist, by means of a garter or cord, lapped 
c^c\ eral times round the arm, and rendered as tight as possible, 
1 y a small stick thrust betwixt the folds of the cord or garter, 
and twisted round very hard, to prevent the circulation of the 
blood betwixt the part bitten and the other part of the body. 
Ligatures of the same kind, applied by any one present, or the 
man himself, will frequently save a person's life, where, by 
accident, an artery in any of the limbs is wounded, and no sur 
geon is at hand. 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 123 

. 497. Prevention of Hydrophobia, — As there has been hitherto 
no remedy discovered which can be said to possess a specific 
control over this dreadful malady, and therefore little hope can 
be entertained of a cure for it, our best endeavors should be 
directed to the preventive treatment. This is to be commenced, 
then, by completely cutting out the whole wound as soon as 
possible after the bite of a suspected animal. After this, bleed- 
ing should be encouraged by immersion in warm w^ater, or the 
application of a cupping-glass. Caustic should next be applied 
to every part of the wound, which is then to be covered with 
a poultice, and suffered to heal by granulation, or be kept open, 
and made to suppurate, by irritating ointments. The excision 
should never be omitted, even though the bitten part have 
healed, and let the interval since its occurrence be what it may. 
As for any of innumerable so-called specifics, there is not one 
that is worth a moment's trial. 

498. To alleviate the Pain occasioned by the Sting of Gnats, — 
The disagreeable itching occasioned by the sting of these insects, 
may be removed by volatile alkali, or immediately rubbing 
and washing the part affected with cold water. 

At night, to rub with fuller's earth and w^ater, lessens the 
inflammation. 



499. Simple and effectual cure for those who may accidentally 
have swallowed a Wasp>. — Instantly, on the alarming accident 
taking place, put a tea-spoonful of common salt in your mouth, 
which will instantaneously not only kill the wasp, but at the 



same time heal the sting. 



500. For the Sting of a Wasp or Bee, — Spread over the part 
a plaster of salad oil and common salt; if oil be not at hand, 
the salt may be used, moistened with water or vinegar. Or, 
keep the part constantly moi§t with a rag dipped in sal-volatile 
and cold water, as strong as can be borne without raising the 
skin. Or, immediately after taking out the sting, get an onion 
and bruise it, and apply it to the stung place, and it will afford 
immediate relief. Or, a washerwoman's blue-bag, applied in 
the same manner, will have a like effect. 



501. Stiyig of a Ntttlc. — Rub the part affected with balm, 
rosemary, mint, or any other aromatic herb, and the smart 
will soon cease 



]24 MRS. IIALI^'S IlECfilPTS FOR TttEl MILLIOX4 



BATHS AND BATHING. 

502. The best materials for constructing baths, are slabs of 
polished marble, bedd-ed with water-tight cement, in a wooden 
case, and carefully united at the edges. But, as white or veined 
marble baths are apt to get yellow or discolored by frequent 
use, and cannot easily be cleaned, large Dutch tiles, or square 
pieces of white earthenware, are sometimes substituted ; these, 
however, are with ditliculty kept water-tight, so that marble is 
altogether preferable. Copper, or tinned iron plates, are also 
used ; the former is more expensive at the outset, but far more 
durable than the latter, which is also liable to leakage at the 
joints, unless excellently made. Both copper and iron should 
be well covered, in and outside, with several coats of paint. 
Wooden tubs — square, oblong, or oval — are sometimes used 
for warm baths, and are cheap and convenient;, but the w^ood 
contracts a mouldy smell, and there is great difficulty in pre- 
venting shrinkage in them, and keeping them water-tight. 

The fittest place for baths, is the bed-room floor ; they are 
sometimes p>laced in the basement story, which is cold and 
damp, and in all weather disagreeable. 

Due attention should be paid to the warming and ventilation 
of the bath-room. A temperature of 70 degrees, by the ther- 
mometer, should be kept up in it ; and ventilation is requisite, 
to prevent the moisture settling upon the walls and furniture. 

An-'improvement in the construction of baths, is a slightly 
hollowed space at one end, to receive the head of the bather, 
so as to prevent that sensation of cramp w^iich is often expe- 
rienced from the ordinary, abrupt shape of a bath. 

The hand is a very uncertain test for the heat of water, and 
should, therefore, not be relied on in preparing a bath ; but a 
thermometer should be employe^}, which will denote the actual 
temperature, thus : — 

Cold bath, from 32^ to 75^ of Fahrenheit. 
Tepid " '' 75 to 92 '' " 

Warm " " 92 to 98 " 
Hot " " 98 to 114 " " 

Vapor " " 100 to 140 " 



(( 



503. Hand Shower-Bath. — An excellent liand shower-bath 
for children, has been invented. It consists of a metal vessel. 



HEALTH AND BEAUT V. 125 

ci>ntaining about a gallon, the bottom of which is pierced with 
holes, while the upper part is open, and provided with a handle. 
"When intended to be used, the vess<el is< iiuniersed in a pail of 
water, and it quickly tills from the lower part. The thun\b is 
placed over the aperture at the apex, which prevents all escape 
of water. It may be held at a convenient distance over the 
child, and the moment the thumb is removed, there falls a i^ 
fr**^hing shower, which may be stopped instantiUioously, by 
placing the thumb over the upper opening. 

504. Simple Va})or Bath, — Wrap the patient in blankets, 
which fasten closely about the neck, leaving the head exposed: 
then place him in a chair, under which set a basin or deep dish, 
with half a pint of spirits ot' wine, or whisky, which should be 
ignited : close the blankets to the floor, and in a few minutes 
the patient will be in a profuse perspiration, and should be pui 
to bed between warm blankets. 

505. Advantages of Bafhina, — It is a fact officially recorded, 

that during the terrible visitations of cholera in France, out of 
nearly U>,*2''2S subscribers to the public baths of ^Paris, Bor- 
deaux, and Mai*scilles, only two deaths among them were 
ascribed to choleriu We doubt whether there exists a more 
elfectual preventive of disease of every kind, mid a greater pro- 
moter of good health at all times, than the practice of daily 
bathin:^. 



500. L^^'c\? of Hot Water, — The efficacv of hot ^-ater, on many 
occasiims in lite, cannot be too generally known. It is an ex- 
cellent gargle for a bad sore throat, or quinsy. In bruises, hot 
water, by immersigu and fomentation, will remove pain, and 
prevent discoloration and stitfness. It has the same etfect after 
a blow. It should be applied as quickly as possible, and as hot 
as it can be borne. . Insertion in hot water will also cure that 
troublesome and very painful aihnent, the whitlow. 



507. Good cffWts of Bathinp, — "I am otien asked, what baths 
arc safest — as if everything, by its litness or untitness, is not 
safe, or the revei^c. The value of all baths depends upon their 
fitness ; and that, in many instances, can only be known by 
trial. It depends upon constitution, more than upon the name 
of a disease, whether particular patients shall be benelitcd by 



]26 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

one bath or another. Generally speaking, when the skin is hot 
and dry, a cold bath will do good ; and when chilly, a hot bath* 
But the reverse sometimes happens. The cold stage of ague, 
may at once be cut short by a cold bath. I have seen a shiver- 
ing hypochondriac dash into the cold plunge bath, and come 
out, in a minute or two, perfectly cured of all his aches and 
whimseys. But, in cases of this nature, everything depends 
upon the glow or reaction which the bath produces ; and that 
has as much to do with surprise or shock as with the tempera- 
ture of the bath. I have seen a person with a hot, dry skin, 
go into a warm bath, and come out just as refreshed as if he 
had taken a cold one. In that case, the perspiration which it 
excited, must have been the principal means of relief. 

" So far as my own experience goes, I prefer the cold and 
tepid shower-baths, and the cold plunge-bath, to any other ; but 
there are cases in which these disagree, and I, therefore, oc- 
casionally order the warm or vapor-bath instead." — Dr, Dickson. 

508. Diet for Patients. — " I am every day asked by my pa- 
, tients, what diet they should take. I generally answer by the 
question, ' How old are you V Suppose they say, Forty — 
* Forty !' I rejoin : 'you who have had forty years' experience 
of what agrees and disagrees with you — ^how can you ask me 
who have no experience of the kind in your case whatever?' 
Surely, gentlemen, a patient's experience of what agrees and 
disagrees with his own particular constitution, is far better than 
any theory of yours or mine. Why, bless my life ! in many 
chronic diseases, the diet which a man can take to-day, would 
be rejected with disgust to-morrow ; under such circumstances, 
would you still, according to common medical practice, tell a 
sick person to go on taking what he himself found worried him 
to death ? Gentlemen, 1 hope better things of you. 

"The only general caution you need give your patients on 
the subject of diet, is moderation; moderation in using the 
things which they find agree with themselves best. You may 
direct them to take their food in small quantities at a time, at 
short periodic intervals — intervals of two or three hours, for 
example; and tell them to take the trouble to masticate it 
properly before they swallow it, so as not to give a weak 
stomach the double work of mastication and digestion — these 
processes being, even in health, essentially distinct. Unless 
properly comminuted and mixed with the saliva, how can you 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 127 

expect the food to be anything but a source of inconvenience 
to persons whom the smallest trifle will frequently discom- 
pose ]" — Dr. Dickson^ s Lectures. 

509. Abstinence^ or Starvation, — Beware of carrying this too 
far ! — for " abstinence engenders maladies." So Shakspeare 
said, and so nature will tell vou, in the teeth of all the doctors 
in Europe ! Abstinence may produce almost every form of 
disease which has entered into the consideration of the phy- 
sician. — Ibid, 



510. The Blood is the Life — never be Bled ! — " He who loses 
a pint of blood, loses a pint of his life. Of what is the body 
composed ? Is it not of blood, and blood only % What fills 
up the excavation of an ulcer or an abscess % What re-produces 
the bone of the leg or thigh, after it has been thrown off dead, 
in nearly all its length ? what but the living blood, under the 
vito-electrical influence of the brain and nerves ! How does 
the slaughtered animal die? Of loss of blood solely. Is not 
the blood, then, in the impressive language of Scripture, ' the 
life of the flesh V How remarkable, that while the value of 
the blood to the animal economy should be thus so distinctly 
and emphatically acknowledged, blood-letting is not even once 
alluded to, among the various modej of cure mentioned in the 
sacred volume. We have 'balms,' 'balsams,' 'baths,' 'charms,' 
'physics,' — 'poultices,' even — but loss of blood, never! Had 
it been practised by the Jews, why this, omission ? Will the 
men who now so lavishly pour out the blood, dispute its im- 
portance in the animal economy % Will they deny that it forms 
the basis of the solids ? that when the body has been wasted 
by long disease, it is by the blood only it can recover its healthy 
volume and appearance ?" — Dr. Dickson's Lectures. 



THE TOILET. 

511. Personal beauty is the gift of nature, but its preserva* 
tion depends much on the cave of its possessor. Beauty may 
also be cultivated and enhanced ; even plainness may be im- 
proved, and the defects that sickness, accidents, and age impress 
on the human features and form, may be greatly remedied by 
simple means, and attention to a few important rules. 



128 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

The first requisite for the preservation and improvement of 
personal beauty is good temper. The teachings of the New 
Testament, if you follow its precepts, will insure you this 
grace. The second requirement is good health. The most im- 
portant rules for its preservation and recovery are given in this 
chapter. The third requisite comprises attention to neatness, 
and that general care of the person which the rules and receipts 
we here subjoin, will aid in making complete. 

512. Of the Hair, — It is a great mistake to plait the hair of 
children under eleven or twelve years of age. The process of 
plaiting more or less strains the hairs in their roots by pulling 
them tight; tends to deprive them of their requisite supply of 
nutriment; and checks their growth. The hair of girls should 
be cut rather short, and allowed to curl freely. When they 
are about eleven or twelve, the hair should be twisted into a 
coil, not too tight, nor tied at the end with thin thread, but with 
a piece of riband. 



513. Do not Shave the Head, — Shaving the head is always 
injurious to the hair, the bulbs being frequently destroyed by 
the process ; and washing frequently with an alkaline prepara- 
tion, such as soap and water, is decidedly objectionable, for 
that, as well as sea-water, is very apt to change the color of the 
hair. 



514. To purify and beautify the Hair, — An excellent means 
of k'eeping the hair sweet, clean, glossy, and curly, is to brush 
it with a rather hard brush dipped by the surface only in eau 
de Portugal (" Portugal water"). In order to have it fresh and 
of fine quality, take a pint of orange flower water, a pint of rose 
water, and half a pint of myrtle water. To these put a quarter 
of an ounce of distilled spirit of musk, and an ounce of spirit 
of ambergris. Shake the whole well together, and the water 
will be ready for use. Only a small quantity should be made 
at a time, as it does not keep long, except in moderate weather, 
being apt to spoil either with cold or heat. 



515. To promote the Growth of Hair. — Mix equal parts of 
olive oil and spirits of rosemary, and add a few drops of oil of 
nutmeg. If the hair be rubbed every night with a little of this 
liniment, and the proportion be very gradually augmented, it 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 129 

will answer every purpose of increasing the growth of hair, 
much more effectually than can be attained by any of the boast- 
ing empirical preparations which are imposed on the credulous 
purchaser. 

516. Curling Liquid for the Hair. — When the hair will not 
curl naturally, the curling irons should not be used ; they only 
extract the moisture, and render the hair crisp and harsh. An 
excellent curling liquid is the following : — Put two pounds of 
common soap, cut small, into three pints of spirits of wine, 
with eight ounces of potash, and melt the whole, stirring it with 
a clean piece of wood. Add some essence of amber, vanilla, 
and nevoli, about a quarter of an ounce of each, to render the 
fluid agreeable. The liquids which are sold for the professed 
purpose of assisting in curling the hair, are chiefly composed 
of either oily or extractive substances. 



517. To prevent Hair from falling out, — Make a strong 
decoction of white-oak bark in water, and use it freely. It is 
best to make but little at a time, and have it fresh at least , 
once a fortnight. 

518. To avoid Grey Hairs, — Those who would avoid that 
prominent mark of approaching old age, called grey hair, 
must be careful in the treatment of the hair in their youth. 
They must avoid constricting the skin, and strangling the hair 
at its roots, and everything that may throw into the blood an 
undue portion of lime. We say an undue portion, because a 
certain quantity of lime is indispensable in our system for re- 
pairing the wear and tear of the bones, teeth, &c. The lime 
necessary for the repair of bone is manufactured by the sto- 
mach and liver, along with the blood, from .various articles of 
our diet which contain it. The greatest supply is usually from 
the water which we drink, or which is employed in the various 
processes of cooking and preparing liquors. All animal food 
also contains some portion of lime, as well as some of the sorts 
of vegetable food. Ascertain, then, by chemical trial, whether 
the water used for your tea, cofl'ee, soups, &c., contains a large 
proportion of lime; and, if it do, you must either have it chem- 
ically purified, or remove to some other place where the watei 
is more free from lime. U water be hard, you may be certain 
that it contains too much lime to be safely used. Rain-water 

9 



130 MRS. bale's receipts for tue miltjox. 

is the safest for tea and other liquids. Bread will always con- 
tain a portion of lime ; you must, therefore, be careful in deal- 
ing with respectable bakers, who will not increase that una- 
voidable quantity by means of adulterating matter (such as 
whiting) which contains lime. 

519. To soften and cleanse the Hair, — Beat up an e^^g^ rub ifc 
well into the hair, and then wash the head well. If the hair is 
very oily, add the juice of half a lemon. This receipt also an- 
swers much better for washing pet dogs than soap. 

520. To make a Curling Fluid for the Hair, — Melt a piece 
of white bees'- wax, about the size of a filbert kernel or large 
pea, in one ounce of olive oil ; to this add one or two drops of 
ottar of roses or any other perfume. 



521. Gen, Twiggs'^ Hair Dye, — Dissolve in a pint of rose- 
water, one ounce of lac sulphur, and half an ounce of sugar of 
lead. Wet the hair with this mixture thoroughly every night, 
shaking the bottle occasionally. Some persons prefer whisky 
to rose-water, in mixing the articles. 



522. To change Hair to a deej^ Brown. — A solution of silver 
caustic in water is the foundation of all the nostrums for this 
purpose. It must be well diluted before used. 



^23. To dye the Hair Black, — Procure from the dyer's a 
quantity of walnut-water ; and with this wash the hair, as the 
first part of the process. Then make an aromatic tincture of 
galls, by scenting the common tincture with any agreeable per- 
fume; and with this wet the hair, which must next be moistened 
with a strong solution of sulphate of iron. 

524. A simple Hair-dye, — Boil in a pint of water a handful of 
rosemary ; when cold, strain and bottle, but do not cork it. 
Renew it every few weeks. Wet the hair with it every night. 

525. To darken theEye-hrows. — Take an ounce of walnuts, an 
ounce of frankincense, an ounce of resin, and an ounce of mas- 
tick. Burn them all on clear, red-hot charcoal, and receive the 
fumes into a funnel, in which a yqyj fine black powder, slightly 
perfumed and unctuous, will adhere. Mix this with a little oii 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. Ji31 

of myrtle, in a leaden mortar, and apply it to the eye-brows. 
This paste has the property of resisting both heat and perspira- 
tion; but it must be occasionally renewed. The following 
method may also be used : Burn a clove in the flame of a wax- 
candle, dip it into the juice of elder-berries, and apply it to the 
eye-brows. The powder, also, which is used in the East for 
painting the eye-lashes, and which is composed of antimony and 
bismuth, may be safely and advantageously used. Or, a paste 
prepared from powdered black lead, with eau de Cologne, or 
oil of myrtle, or essence of bergamot, will suffice for the pur- 
pose. When the eye-brows become long and shaggy, they give 
a ferocious and repulsive expression to the countenance. The 
scissors should in that case be often used. Some of the longest 
hairs might also be removed with the tweezers. 



626. To know whether Hair Powder is adulterated with Lime. 
— Put a little crude sal-ammoniac, in powder, to the suspected 
hair powder, and add a little warm water to the mixture, and 
stir it about ; if the powder has been adulterated with lime, a 
strong smell of volatile alkali will arise from this mixture. 

527. To 'perfume Hair Powder, — Take one drachm of musk, 
four ounces of lavender blossoms, one and a half drachm of 
civet, and half a drachm of ambergris ; pound the whole toge- 
ther, and pass it through a sieve. Preserve this mixture in 
well-stopped bottles, and add more or less thereof, as agreeable, 
in your hair powder. 

528. To improve the Hair, — Powdered hartshorn, mixed 
with oil, being rubbed upon the head of persons who have lost 
their hair, will cause it to grow again. A very good oil for the 
hair is made by mixing one part of the liquid hartshorn with 
nine parts of pure castor-oil. 

529. An economical Hair Wash. — Dissolve in one quart of 
boiling water one ounce of borax and half an ounce of camphor ; 
these ingredients fine. When cool, the solution will be ready 
for use. Damp the hair with it frequently. This w\ash not 
only cleanses and beautifies, but strengthens the hair, preserves 
the color, and prevents baldness. 



132 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

* 530. To remove Superfluous Hair, — This is very difficult, for 
if you pull the hair out by the roots from those places which it 
disfigures, there are thousands of roots ready to start through 
the skin the moment you make room for them. Old authors 
recommend depilatories in great variety. The principal of 
these methods consist in rubbing upon the part from which the 
hair is to be removed, leaven, parsley water, juice of acacia, the 
gum of ivy or of the cherry-tree, dissolved in spirits of wine, 
&;c. Madame Elisi Voiart, in her " Encyclopedic des Dames," 
recommends a few drops of dulcified spirit of salt, (that is, mu- 
riatic acid distilled with rectified spirits of wine,) to be applied 
with a camel hair pencil. 



OF THE COMPLEXION. 

531. Never Paint — The use of white paint as a cosmetic affects 
the eyes, which it renders painful and watery. It changes the 
texture of the skin, on which it produces pimples; attacks the 
teeth, destroys the enamel, and loosens them. It heats the 
mouth and throat, infecting and corrupting the saliva. Lastly, 
it penetrates the pores of the skin, acting by degrees on the 
spongy substance of the lungs, and inducing disease. Powdered 
magnesia, or violet powder, is no further injurious than by 
stopping the pores of the skin ; but this is quite injury enough 
to preclude its use. The best cosmetics are early hours, exer- 
cise, and temperance. 



"532. To soften the Skin and improve the Complexion, — Mix 
in a cup of milk a little flowers of sulphur ; let it stand for an 
hour or two; then, without disturbing the sulphur, rub the milk 
into the skin. It will keep it soft and clear. It should be used 
before washing. 



533. How to treat Freckles, — Most of us have observed the 
effect produced on white paper by holding it closely to the fire: 
it changes rapidly from white to brown, and becomes scorched. 
Chemists tell us that most combustible things, both in the ani- 
mal and vegetable world, have carbon for their basis — so has 
the skin ; and, if it be exposed to the heat, it becomes, like 
them, spotted or charred. The iron and oxygen in the blood 
also assist to produce this efiect. Thus w^e have the cause of 
freckles. Those who, like Kichard Coeur de Lion, and Mary 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 133 

Queen of Scots, have red hair (which is caused by a red-colored 
oil, more strongly impregnated with iron than others), are most 
liable to freckles. 

The most effectual means of removing freckles, is the use of 
those chemicals which will dissolve the existing combination. 
The freckles are situated in the second or middle membrane of 
the skin ; and, before any other application, it will be ad- 
visable to soften the surface by the use of some mild balsam 
or paste. 



534. For FrecTcles, — One ounce of bitter almonds, one ditto 
of barley flour, mix with a sufficient quantity of honey to make 
the whole into a smooth paste; with which the face, more par- 
ticularly where the freckles are visible, is to be anointed at 
night, and the paste washed off in the morning. After a few 
days the skin will be prepared for a chemical remedy. 



535. Another, — To decompose the freckles, by laying hold 
of the iron, the following mixture may be applied : Take one 
drachm of muriatic acid, half a pint of rain-water, half a tea- 
spoonful of spirit of lavender ; mix well together, and apply 
two or three times a day to the freckles, with a camel's hair 
brush. The acid seizes upon the iron, and the oxygen is disen- 
gaged. 



536. Purifying water for Freckled Skin, — Take one tea- 
spoonful of liquor of potassa, two ounces and a half of pure 
water, and ten drops of eau de Cologne. Mix, and apply three 
times a day with a camel's hair brush, 

537. Cosmetic Lotion for Freckles, — Take a tea-cupful of cold 
sour milk, scrape into it a quantity of horse-radish. Let this 
stand from six to twelve hours ; and then, being well strained, 
let it be applied, as before directed, two or three times a day. 

538. Preventive Wash for Sunburn, — Take two drachms of 
borax, one drachm of Roman alum, one drachm of camphor, 
half an ounce of sugar-candy, and one pound of ox-gall ; mix 
and stir well together, and repeat the stirring three or four 
times a day, until the mixture becomes transparent \ then straia 
it through filtering paper, and it is fit for use. 



134 MRS. H alb's receipts FOR THE MILLION. 



539. Grajpe Lotion for Sunburn. — Dip° a bunch of green 
grapes in a basin of water ; sprinkle it with powdered alum 
and salt, mixed together ; wrap it in paper, and bake it 
under hot ashes ; then express the remaining juice, and wash 
the face with the liquid. 

540. Lemon Cream for Sunburn and Freckles, — Put two 
spoonfuls of fresh cream into half a pint of new milk ; squeeze 
into it the juice of a lemon, and half a glass of brandy, a little 
alum, and loaf sugar ; boil the whole, skim it well, and, when 
cool, it will be fit for use. 

541. A French Receipt — Take equal parts of the seeds of 
the melon, pompion, gourd, and cucumber, pounded and re- 
duced to powder or meal ; add to it fresh cream sufficient to 
dilute the flour ; beat all up together, adding a sufficient quan- 
tity of milk, as it may be required, to make an ointment, and 
then apply it to the face. Leave it there for half an hour, and 
then wash it off with warm soft water. Pimpernel water is 
often used on the continent for the purpose of whitening the 
complexion. It is there in so high reputation, that it is said 
generally that it ought to be continually on the toilet of every 
lady who cares for the brightness of her skin. 

542. ilfo/e5.— The author of ''The Art of Beauty," whose 
WQrk appeared in 1824, has very judiciously observed : " The 
common brown mole appears to be much of the same nature as 
freckles, and to be situated in the middle layer of the skin, or 
membrane of color. Moles are sometimes so placed as to im- 
prove rather than injure a fine face. They contrast with the 
delicacy of a fair skin, and give a pleasing archness of expres- 
sion to the countenance. They are, however, most frequently 
found on women of a dark complexion. The coloring matter, 
as in the case of freckles and sunburn, is probably some chemi- 
cal combination of iron. Moles have evidently a supera- 
bundant vitality, and a tendency to increased action, in conse- 
quence, perhaps, of the stimulus of the iron ; and hence they 
are often slightly elevated above the surface, and the natural 
down of the skin is changed into a tuft of hair. The same cos- 
metic applications may be tried as for freckles, with gentle fric- 
tioikj but they are seldom successful. But it will be found very 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 135 

dangerous to apply depilatories to eradicate the tufts of hair on 
moles, as cancer in the face is not unfrequently the consequence 
of such applications." 

543. Birth Marks. — Let them alone, or apply to some emi 
nent surgeon to attempt their removal. 

544. Worm Pimple, with black points. — They are very com- 
mon, and very unsightly, giving the skin an oily, greasy, and 
dirty appearance. Their origin is to be traced to the obstruc- 
tion of the fountains or glands placed immediately under the 
skin, from which a minute pipe carries off the perspiration. 
This moisture, not getting free egress, thickens and closes the 
pores : it then catches the dust and other impurities, floating 
in the atmosphere, and soon becomes black. If squeezed vio- 
lently between the nails, this thickened matter will be driven 
out, in the form of a yellowish white worm, with a black head, 
which is nothing more than the extraneous matter just men- 
tioned. That there is any vitality in it, is an absurd, but popu- 
lar and prevalent error. These pimples generally cluster on 
the sides of the nose and on the forehead, whilst the skin around 
them is greasy. They should be thoroughly pressed out of 
every pore, or there they will remain, and no cosmetic will dis- 
lodge them. When this is effectually done, the following safe 
and simple application may be tried : take one ounce of bitter 
almonds and one ounce of barley -flour ; mix them with honey, 
until they form a smooth paste, and anoint the skin at night. 
Gentle friction, either with the hand or with a soft glove, is also 
good. When this state of the skin is induced by bilious disor- 
ders, indigestion, &;c., sulphur, purgatives, and other remedies 
must be taken to remove it ; but not without medical advice, 
as they often are the reverse of efiectual. 

545. Another simple Bemedy, — Bathe the pimples several 
times a day with lukewarm water and a sponge, rubbing the 
sponge over a piece of yellow suap. There is a truly healing 
power in soap, which is surprising when we learn to appreciate 
it, and which is quite distinct from mere cleanliness. 

546. Wash for Pim;ples. — Dissolve half a drachm of salt of 
tartar in three ounces of spirit of wine ; apply with linen or a 
oamel-haii' Dencil. 



136 ME3. HALE'S EECEIPTS FOR THIT MILLION 

547. A Paste for the Skin. — Boil the whites of four eggs in 
rose-water ; add to it a small quantity of alum ; beat the whole 
to the consistence of a paste. This will give great firmness to 
the skin. 



548. Cold Cream. — Take two ounces of oil of sweet almonds, 
and one drachm each of white wax and spermaceti, or half an 
ounce of white wax alone, which scrape very fine, and put thera 
with the oil into an earthen dish, to melt slowly on the embers, 
and stir it till it becomes quite smooth. When it is cooling, 
add one ounce of rose-water, and put it into a gallipot, closely 
covered. It should be a verv thick cream. - 



549. Fard. — This paste is useful in removing sun-burnings, 
effects of wind on the face, and accidental cutaneous eruptions. 
It must be applied on going to bed. First, wash the face, 
and, when dry, rub the fard over it, and let it remain all night. 
Take two ounces of oil of sweet almonds, and the same quantity 
of spermaceti; melt them over a slow fire. When they are 
dissolved and mixed, take it from the fire, and stir into it one 
table-spoonful of fine honey. Continue stirring it till it is cold, 
and it is then fit for use. 



550. Cou7't-plaster, or black Sticking-plaster, — Take half an 
ounce of benzoin, and six ounces of rectified spirit ; dissolve 
and strain ; then take one ounce of isinglass, and half a pint of 
hot water ; dissolve and strain separately from the former. 
Mix the two, and set thera aside to cool, when a jelly will be 
formed; and this is warmed and brushed ten or twelve times 
over a piece of black silk, stretched smooth. When this is 
done enough, and dry, finish it with a solution of four ounces 
of chian turpentine in six ounces of tincture of benzoin. 



551. An excellent Tooth-powder. — One of the best tooth-pow- 
ders is made by mixing together one ounce and a half of pre- 
pared chalk, half an ounce of powder of bark, and a quarter of 
an ounce of camphor. 



552. Charcoal Tooth-powder. — Pound charcoal as fine as pos- 
sible, in a mortar, or grind it in a mill ; then well sift it, and 
apply a little of it to the teeth about twice a week, and it will 
not only render them beautifully white, but will also make the 
breath sweet, and the gums firm and comfortable. 



HEALTH A>'D BEAUTY. 137 

If the charcoal is ground in a mortar, it is convenient to grind 
it in water, to prevent the dust from flying about. Indeed, the 
powder is more convenient for use, when kept in water. 

553. A safe Tooth-powder, — Cut a slice of thick bread intc 
squares, and bum it till it becomes charcoal. Pound it^ and 
sift it through a Jin£ muslin. It is then ready for use. 

554. Another Tooth-powder. — Mix hartshorn shavings, cal- 
cined and pulverized, three-fifths ; myrrh, pulverized, two-fifths. 



555. A good Dentifrice, — Dissolve two ounces of borax in 
three pints of boiling water; before it is quite cold, add one 
tea-spoonful of tincture of myrrh, and one table-spoonful of 
spirits of camphor. Bottle the mixture for use. Add one 
wine-glassful of the solution to half a pint of tepid water, and 
use it daily. It preserves and beautifies the teeth, arrests de- 
cay, and induces a-healthy action in the gums. 

556. Camphor Tooth-powder, — This excellent dentifrice is 
made by mixing preparecf chalk, finely pulverized, and sifted 
through a fine muslin, with an equal quantity of pulverized 
camphor, prepared in the same way. It is a good preservative 
of the teeth. 



557. Orris-root Tooth-powder. — Mix equal quantities of finely 
pulverized and sifted orris-root and prepared chalk. Charcoal 
may be used instead of chalk, in both these receipts, but it 
must be prepared with great care, else its grittiness will injure 
the enamel of the teeth. 



558. To whiten the Teeth, — Mix honey with finely powdered 
charcoal, and use the paste as a dentifrice. 



559. Wash for the Teeth, — One ounce of myrrh, powdered, 
and dissolved in one pint of spirits of wine. A little of this 
dropped on the tooth-brush, is excellent for the teeth and gums. 

560. To remove Tartar from the Teeth. — 1st. Ihe use of the 
tooth-brush night and morning, and at least rinsing the mouth 
after every meal at which animal food is taken. 2d. Once 
daily run the brush lightly two or three times over soap, then 



138 MRS. halb's receipts for the million. 

dip it in salt, and with it clean the teeth, working the brush up 
and down rather than — or as? w^ell as — backw^ards and forwards. 
Tnis is a ch^p, safe, and effectual dentifrice. 8d. Eat freely 
of common cress — the sort used with mustard, under the name 
of small salad ; it must be eaten with salt only. If thus used 
two or three days in succession, it will effectually loosen tartar, 
even of long standing. The same effect is produced, though 
perhaps not in an equal degree, by eating strawberries and 
raspberries, especially the former. A leaf of common green 
sage rubbed on the teeth, is useful both in cleansing and polish- 
ing, and probably many other common vegetable productions 
also. 



561. Ohs, Soap is not at all a desirable medium for cleaning 
the teeth, as, though it may whiten for the time, the alkaline 
process destroys the enamel. 



562. To fill a decayed Tooth, — When a tooth is too much 
. decayed to be filled by a debtist, or the person is at a distance 
from one, gutta percha will be found an useful expedient. 
Drop a small piece of this substance in boiling water, then 
taking off as much as will probably fill the tooth nearly level, 
press it, while soft, into the cavity. Then hold cold water in 
the mouth on that side, to harden it. It has been know^n to 
preserve a tooth two years at least, and keeps it free from cold. 



FOR THE DRESSING-TABLE. 

563. Tb make soft Pomatum. — Beat half a pound of unsalted 
fresh lard in common water ; then soak and beat it in two rose- 
waters ; drain it, and beat it with two spoonfuls of brandy; 
let it drain from this ; add to it some essence of lemon, and 
keep it in small pots. 



564. Or : Soak half a pound of clear beef marrow, and one 
pound of unsalted fresh lard, in water, tW'O or three days, 
changing and beating it every day. Put it into a sieve, and, 
when dry, into a jar, and the jar into a saucepan of water. 
When melted, pour it into a basin, and beat it with two spoon 
fuls of brandy; drain off the brandy, and then add essence of 
lemon, bergamot, or any other scent that is liked. 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 139 

565. Hard Pomatum, — Prepare equal quantities of beef 
marrow and mutton suet, as before, using the brandy to pre- 
serve it, and adding the scent ; then pour it into moulds, or, if 
you have none, into phials of the size you choose the rolls to 
be. When cold, break the bottles, clear away the glass care- 
fully, and put paper round the rolls. 

566. Or: Take equal quantities of marrow, melted and 
strained, lard, and castor oil ; warm all together; add any scent 
you please; stir until cold, and put into pots. 

567. Pomade Divine, — Clear one and a half pound of beef 
marrow from the strings and bone ; put it into an earthen pan 
or vessel of water fresh from the spring, and change the water 
night and morning for ten days ; then steep it in rose-water 
twenty-four hours, and drain it in a cloth till quite dry. Take 
one ounce of each of the following articles, namely : storax, 
gum-benjamin, and odoriferous cypress powder ; half an ounce 
of cinnamon, two drachms of cloves, and two drachms of nut- 
meg, all finely powdered : mix them with the marrow above 
prepared ; then put all the ingredients into a pewter pot that 
holds three pints ; make a paste of white of egg and flour, and 
lay it upon a piece of rag. Over that must be another piece 
of linen, to cover the top of the pot very close, that none of the 
steam may evaporate. Put the pot into a large copper pot 
with water, observing to keep it steady, that it may not reach 
to the covering of the pot that holds the marrow. As the water 
shrinks, add more, boiling hot — for it must boil four hours 
without ceasing a moment. Strain the ointment through a 
linen cloth into small pots, and, when cold, cover them. Do 
not touch it with anything but silver. It will keep many years, 

568. To make Jessamine Butter. — Hog's la.rd melted, and 
well washed in fair water, laid an inch thick in a dish, and 

.strewed over with jessamine flowers, will imbibe the scent, and 
make a very fragrant pomatum. 



569. Rowland^s Macassar Oil, — This is made by boiling cas- 
tor oil, scenting it with oil of roses, and coloring it, while warm, 
with alkanet root. 



570. Macassar Oil, — Common oil, three quarts; spirits of 
wine, half a pint; cinnamon powder, three ounces; bcrgamot, 



140 MRS. bale's receipts for the»million 

two ounces : heat them together in a large pipkin, then remove 
it from the fire, and add four small pieces of alkanet root, keep- 
ing it closely covered for several hours. Let it then be filtered 
through a funnel lined with filtering paper. 



571. Wash for the Skin, — Four ounces of potash, four ounces 
of rose-water, two ounces of pure brandy, and two ounces of 
lemon-juice ; put all these into two quarts of water, and when 
you wash, put a table-spoonful or two of the mixture into the 
basin of water you intend washing in. 



572. To make Milk of Roses. — To one pint of rose-water, add 
one ounce of oil of almonds and ten drops of the oil of tartar. 
N. B. — Let the oil of tartar be poured in last. 



573. Almond Paste. — Blanch half a pound of sweet almonds 
and a quarter of a pound of bitter almonds, and beat them to 
powder in a mortar with half a pound of loaf sugar 3 then beat 
them into a paste with orange-flower water. 

574. Almond Powder. — Blanch six pounds of bitter almonds, 
dry and beat them, and press from them one pint of oil ; then 
beat them in an iron mortar, and pass the powder through a 
sieve. Keep it from air and moisture in a glass jar. Used 
instead of soap for washing the hands, it imparts a singular deli- 
cacy to their appearance. 

^ , 

575. Violet Poivder. — This preparation is universally applied 
for drying the skin after washing, especially at the joints, which, 
if left even' dam.p, produces chaps and chafing, often followed, 
if neglected, by inflammation. . Violet powder is best prepared 
by mixing three parts of the best wheat starch with one of 
finely-ground orris-root ; the latter adds to the drying power 
of the starch, and imparts, at the same time, an agreeable odor 
like that of violet — hence the name of the mixture. It is also 
prepared by perfuming starch with essential oils, without the ' 
addition of orris-root : but, though the scent of thQ powder is 
stronger, and to some more tempting to use, it is far less bene- 
ficial in its application. The scent, acting as a stimulant to 
the skin, increases rather than abates any tendency to redness. 
Unperfumed powder is, therefore, the best to use,, dusted over 
the part with a little brush made of swan's-down, called b palK 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 141 

576. Another Powder for Chaps, dc. — Take dry hemlock 
bark, powder it, by rubbing on a fine grater ; then sift this 
powder through gauze or muslin, and sprinkle it lightly on the 
part chapped. It is a safe and certain curative. 



577. Pearl White, — Bismuth dissolved in aqua-fortis, is pearl 
white. This, though at first it whitens, afterwards blackens 
the skin, as all preparations from lead do ; and therfore none 
of them are safely to be used. — Dr, Moyes^ Lectures. 



578. Pot-pourri, — Put into a large china jar the following 
ingredients in layers, with bay-salt strewed between the layers : 
two pecks of damask roses, part in buds and part blown ; vio- 
lets, orange-flowers, and jessamine, a handful of each ; orris- 
root sliced, benjamin and storax, two ounces of each ; quarter 
of an ounce of musk ; quarter of a pound of angelica root, 
sliced ; a quart of the red parts of clove-gillyflowers ; two 
handfuls of lavender flowers; half a handful of rosemary flow- 
ers; bay and laurel leaves, half a handful of each ; three Se- 
ville oranges, stuck as full of cloves as possible, dried in a cool 
oven, and pounded; half a handful of knotted marjoram; and 
two handfuls of balm of Gilead, dried. Cover all quite close. 
When the pot is uncovered the perfume is very fine. 



579. A quicker sort of sweet Pot-pourri, — Take three handfuls 
of orange-flowers, three of clove-gillyflowers, three of damask- 
roses, one of knotted marjoram, one of lemon-thyme, six bay- 
leaves, a handful of rosemary, one of myrtle, half of mint, one 
of lavender, the rind of a lemon, and a quarter of an ounce of 
cloves. Chop all, and put them in layers, with pounded bay- 
salt between, up to the tip of the jar. 

If all the ingredients cannot be obtained at once, put them in 
as you get them ; always throwing in salt with every new 
article. 



580. Hungary Water. — Mix one quart of spirits of wine; 
half a pint of water; and three-quarters of an ounce of oil of 
rosemary. 



581. Lavender Water. — Mix in a quart bottle three drachms 
of oil of lavender; one pint rectified spirit of wine ; shake them 



142 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

well together, and add an ounce of orange-flower water, ac 
ounce of rose-water, four ounces of distilled water, and, if you 
like, two or three drachms of essence of musk. 



582. Rose-water. — When the roses are in full bloom pick the 

eaves carefully off, and to every quart of water put a peck of 

them ; put them in a cold still over a slow fire, and distil 

gradually; then bottle the water; let it stand in the bottle 

three days, and then cork it close. 



583. Another, — Take two pounds of rose leaves, place them 
on a napkin tied round the edges of a basin filled with hot 
water, and put a dish of cold water upon the leaves ; keep the 
bottom water hot, and change the water at top as soon as it 
begins to grow warm. By this kind of distillation you will 
extract a great quantity of the essential oil of the roses by a 
process which cannot be expensive, and will prove very bene- 
ficial. 



584. Tincture of Roses. — Put into a bottle the petals of the 
common rose, and pour upon them spirits of wine ; cork the 
bottle, and let it stand for two or three months. It will then 
yield a perfume little inferior to otto of roses. Common vine- 
gar is much improved by a very small quantity of this mixture 
being added to it. 



585. Honey Water. — One ounce of essence of berganwt, 
three drachms of English oil' of lavender, half a drachm of oil 
of cloves, half a drachm of aroaiiatic vinegar, six grains of 
musk, one and a half pint of spirits of wine. Mix and distil. 



586. Honey Water. — Take one pint of spirit as above, and 
three drachms of essence of ambergris; shake them well daily. 



587. Sweet-scented Water. — Put one quart of rose-water, and 
the same quantity of orange-water, into a large and wide- 
mouthed, glass : strew upon it two handfuls of jessamine flow 
ers ; put the glass in the halneum marice^ or on a slow fire, and 
when it is distilled, add to it a scruple of musk and the same 
quantity of ambergris.. 

588. A very fine Scent. — Take six drachms of oil of lavender, 
three of the essence of bergamot, sixty drops of ambergris, and 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 14^ 

two grains of musk. Mix these into a pint of the best rectified 
spirits of wine. 



589. To whiten the Hands, — Take a wine-glassful of eau do 
Cologne, and another of lemon-juice ; then scrape two cakes of 
brown Windsor soap, or the same quantity of pure white soap, 
to a powder, and mix well in a mould. When hard, it will be 
excellent for whitening the hands. 



590. Camphor Cerate for Chapped Hands, — The following 
receipt was given to the contributor by a maid of honor to 
Queen Victoria. It is an excellent one. Scrape into an earthen 
vessel one ounce and a half of spermaceti and half an ounce of 
white wax ; add six drachms of pounded camphor, and four 
table spoonfuls of the best olive oil. Let it stand near the fire 
till it dissolves, stirring it well when liquid. Before the hands 
are washed, rub them thoroughly with a little of the cerate, 
then wash them as usual. Putting the cerate on before retiring, 
answers very well. This quantity costs about twenty-five 
cents, and will last three winters. The vessel it is kept in 
should be covered, to prevent evaporation. 

591. Paste for Chapped Hands. — Mix a quarter of a pound 
of unsalted lard, which has been washed in soft water, and then 
in rose-water, with the yolks of two new-laid eggs, and a large 
spoonful of honey. Add as much fine oatmeal or almond-paste 
as will work into a paste. 

Or : — Blanch one pound of bitter almonds, and pound them 
smooth in a marble mortar; add half an ounce of camphor, 
one ounce of honey, quarter of a pound of spermaceti, pounded 
and mixed with the almonds, till it becomes a smooth paste. 
Put it into jars, and tie it down till wanted. 

592. To prevent inconvenience from Perspiration of the Hands, 
—Ladies who work lace or ern broidery sometimes suffer incon- 
venience from the perspiration on their hands ; which may be 
remedied, by rubbing the hands frequently with a little dry 
wheaten bran. 



593. Another. — Any of the milder kinds of soaps will be found 
to answer the purpose of keeping the hands clean, soft, and aa 
white as nature will permit. 



144 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

594. For i^reserving the Nails, — One ounce of oil of bitter 
almonds ; one drachm of oil of tartar per deliquium ; one 
ounce of prepared crabs'-eyes. Mix up with essence of lemon, 
to scent it. 

La Forest recommends rubbing the nails with lemon as a 
deterojent. 



595. To whiten the Xails. — Mix two drachms of diluted sul- 
phuric acid, one drachm of tincture of myrrh, and four ounces 
of spring-water. Cleanse the nails with soap, and then dip the 
fincrers in the mixture. 



59G. To re'/nove Stains from the Hands, — Dip your hands in 
warm water, and rub on the stain a small portion of oxalic acid 
powder and cream of tartar, mixed together in equal quantities. 
Keep it in a box. When the stain disappears, wash the hands 
with fine soap or almond cream. A box of this stain powder 
should always be kept on hand. 

597. To rnalce Wash-halls. — Shave -thin two pounds of new 
white soap into about a tea-cupful of rose-water, then pour on 
as much boiling water as will soften it. Put into a brass pan 
a pint of sweet oil, half an ounce of oil of almonds, half a pound 
of spermaceti, and set all over the fire till dissolved ; then add 
the soap and half an ounce of camphor, that has first been 
reduced to powder by rubbing it in a mortar, with a few drops 
of spirits of wine, or lavender-water, or any other scent. Boil 
ten minut.es, then pour it into a basin, and stir it till it is quite 
thick enough to roll into hard balls, which must then be done 
immediately. If essence is used, stir it in quickly after it is 
taken off the fire. 



598. Essence of Soai^, for shaving or %cashing hands, — Take 
a pound and a half of fine white soap, in thin slices, and add 
thereto two ounces of salt of tartar ; mix them well together, 
and put this mixture into one quart of spirits of wine, in a bottle 
which will hold double the quantity of the ingredients : tie a 
bladder over the mouth of the bottle, and prick a pin through 
the bladder ; set it to digest in a gentle heat, and shake the 
contents from time to time, taking care to take out the pin at 
such times, to allow passage for the air from within. When 
the soap is dissolved, filter the liquor through paper, to free it 



HEALTH AXD BEAUTY. 145 

from impurities ; then scent it with a little be: gamot or essence 
of lemon. It will have the appearance of fine oil, and a small 
quantity will lather with water like soap, and is much superior 
in use for washinoj or shaving. 



599. Nai^les Soop, — Put into a pipkin or saucepan half a 
pint of ley, (strong enough to bear an Qgg^) with two ounces of 
lamb suet and one ounce of olive oil ; simmer them over a fire 
until they be thick, when pour the mixture into a fiat pan, 
cover ifc with glass, and expose it to the heat of the sun for 
seven weeks, stirring it once a day : the soap will then be made, 
and may be perfumed with a few drops of oil of ambergris, 
which should be well mixed. Put the soap into small jars, 
and it will be improved by keeping. 



600. Transparent Soap, — Put into a bottle Windsor soap, in 
thin shavings ; half fill with spirits of wine, and set it near the 
fire till the soap be dissolved, when pour it into a mould to cool. 



COL Genuine Windsor Soap, — -To make this fameus soap 
for washing the hands, shaving, dec, nothing more is necessary 
than to slice the best white soap as thin as possible, melt it- 
in a stew-pan over a slow fire, scent it well with oil of caraway, 
and then pour it into a frame or mould made for that purpose, 
Or a small drawer, adapted in size and form to the quantity. 
When it has stood three or four days in a dry situation, cut 
into square pieces, and it is ready for use." By this simple 
mode, substituting any more favorite scent for that of caraway, 
all persons may suit themselves with a good perfumed soap, 
at the most trifling expense. 

602. To make Lady Derby s Soap. — Two ounces of bitter 
almonds, blanched, one ounce and a quarter of tincture of ben- 
jamin, one pound of good plain white soap, and one piece of 
camphor the size of a walnut. The almonds and camphor are 
to be beaten in a mortar until they are completely mixed, then 
work up with them the tincture of benjamin. The mixture 
being perfectly made, work the soap into it in the same man- 
ner. If the smell is too powerful of the camphor and tincture 
of benjamin, melt the soap by the fire, and the perfume will 
go off. This soap has been tried by many persons of distino- 
;ion, is excellent in its qualities for cleansing the skin, and will 
10 



146 AiEb bale's receipts for the million. 

be found greatly to assist the complexion, the ingredients being 
perfectly safe. 



603. To make superior Honey Soap, — Cut into thin shavings 
two pounds of common yellow or white soap ; put it on the 
fire with just water enough to keep it from burning : when quite 
melted, add a quarter of a pound of honey, stirring it till it 
boils; then take it off, and add a few drops of any agreeable 
perfume : pour it into a deep dish to cool, and then cut it into 
squares. It improves by keeping. It will soften and whiten 
the skin. 



604. Paste for Chapped Lips, — Put four ounces of olive oil 
into a bottle with one ounce of alkanet root ; stop it up, and 
set it for some days in the sun, shaking it often until it becomes 
perfectly bright ; then strain the oil from the alkanet, add to it 
one ounce of white wax, and one ounce and a half of clarified 
mutton suet : let the mixture simmer a little while over a slow 
fire. When it begins to cool, mix with it a few drops of any 
essential oil. 



605. Chapped or Sore Lips — May be healed by the frequent 
application of honey-water, and protecting them from the influ 
ence of cold air. 



606. Lip Salve, — Melt together an ounce of white w^ax, the 
same of beef marrow, and three ounces of white pomatum, with 
a small piece of alkanet root, tied in muslin ; perfume, when 
cool, with otto of rose or any other essence. It should be 
strained while hot. 



607. Bad Breath from Onions, — A few leaves of parsley 
eaten with vinegar, will prevent any disagreeable consequences 
from eating onions. 

608. Wash for the Mouth, — An excellent wash for the mouth 
is made of half an ounce of tincture of myrrh and two ounces 
of Peruvian bark. Keep in a phial for use. A few drops in 
a glass of water are sufiicient. 

609. Eavb de Cologne. — Mix essence of bergamot, iemon, 
lavender, and orange-flower, of each one drachm ; essei:K3e of 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 147 

cinnamon, half a drachm ; spirit of rosemary, and honey^water, 
each two ounces; spirits of wine, one pint: let the mixture 
stand two weeks, then put it in a glass retort, the body of which 
immerse in boiling water contained in a vessel placed over a 
lamp, while the beak of the retort is introduced into a large 
reservoir (a decanter, for example) : keep the water boiling, 
while the mixture will distil into the receiver, which should 
be covered with cold wet cloths. In this manner Cologne-water 
may be obtained as good as the best Farina, at one-fourth the 
price. A coffee-lamp or nursery-furnace will best answer to 
boil the water. 

The above is the most simple method of distilling, without 
the regular still. 



610. To make Eau de Cologne, — Rectified spirits of wine, 
four pints; oil of bergamot, one ounce; oil of lemon, half an 
ounce ; oil of rosemary, half a drachm ; oil of Neroli, three- 
quarters of a drachm ; oil of English lavender, one drachm ; oil 
of oranges, one drachm. Mix well, and then filter. If these 
proportions are too large, smaller ones may be used. 



611. A very pleasant Perfume, and also preventive against 
Moths. — Take of cloves, caraway seeds, nutmeg, mace, cinna- 
mon, and Tonquin beans, of each one ounce ; then- add as much 
Florentine orris-root as will equal the other ingredients put 
together. Grind the whole well to powder, and then put it in 
little bags, among yoM^ clothes, &;c. 

612. Method of extracting Essences from Flowers. — Procure 
a quantity of the petals of any flowers which have an agreeable 
fragrance; card thin layers of cotton, which dip into the finest 
Florence or Lucca oil ; sprinkle a small quantity of fine salt 
on the flowers, and lay them, a layer of cotton and a layer of 
flowers, until an earthen vessel or a wide-mouthed glass bottle 
is full. Tie the top close with a bladder, then lay the vessel 
in a south aspect to the heat of the sun, and in fifteen days, 
when uncovered, a fragrant oil may be squeezed away from 
the whole mass, little inferior (if roses are used) to the highly- 
valued^tto of roses. 



613. Curious small Cakes of Incense for perfuming Apart- 
menu. — Take equal quantities of lignum rhodium and anise, 



148 MRS. bale's eeceipts for the mLLIOX. 

in powder, with a little powder of dried Seville orange-peel, 
and the same of gum benzoin, or benjamin, and beat all togetheir 
in a marble mortar : then, adding some gum-dragon, or traga- 
canth, dissolved in rose-water, put in a little civet ; beat the 
whole again together ; make up this mixture into small cakes, 
and place them on paper to drv. One of these cakes being 
burnt in the largest apartment, will diffuse a most agreeable 
odor through the whole room. 



614. To ^perfume Linen, — Eose-leaves dried in the shade, 
cloves beat to a powder, and mace, scraped \ mix them together, 
and put the composition into little bags. 



615. To make an excellent Smelling -bottle. — Take an equal 
quantity of sal-ammoniac and unslaked lime, pound them sepa- 
rately, then mix, and put them in a bottle to smell to. Before 
you put in the above, drop two or three drops of the essence 
of bergamot in the bottle, then cork it close. A drop or two 
of ether, added to the same, w^ill greatly improve it. 



616. Aromatic Vinegar, — Throw into two pounds of acetic 
acid one ounce each of the dried tops of rosemary and the dried 
leaves of sage, half an ounce each of the dried flowers of laven- 
der and of bruised cloves. Let them remain untouched for 
seven days ; then express the liquid and filter it through paper. 
This is useful in sick rooms. ^ 



617. Lavender Vinegar, — Prepare a stone jar or bot le, and 
to each pint of vinegar put into it, add half an ounce of fresh 
lavender flowers ; cover closely, and set it aside for a day or 
two ; then set the jar upon hot cinders for eight or ten hours ; 
and when cold, strain and bottle it. It is a refreshing perfume. 



618. Spirit and Oil of Ro&es, — ^A few drops of otto of roses, 
dissolved in spirits of wine, form the esprit de rose of the per- 
fumers ; and the same quantity dissolved in fine sweet oil, 
their huile antique a la rose, 

e 

619. Essence of Music. — Mix one drachm of musk with the 
same quantity of pounded loaf sugar ; add six ounces of spirit 
of wine : shake together, and pour off for use. 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY. 149 

Musk is seldom obtained pure : when it smells of ammonia, 
it is adulterated. To preserve it, it should be made quite dry ; 
when to be used as a perfume, it should be moistened. 

620. Odeur Delectable, — Mix four ounces of distilled rose- 
water, four ounces of orange-flower water, one drachm of oil 
of cloves, two drachms of oil of bergamot, two grains of musk, 
one pint of spirits of wine. Macerate thoroughly, and add one 
drachm of essence of musk. This delicious scent is a universal 
favorite with the ladies of the heau monde in Paris. 



621. EauD^Ange. — Pound in a mortar fifteen cloves and 
one pound of cinnamon; put the whole into a quart of water, 
with four grains anise-seed ; let it stand over a charcoal fire 
twenty-four hours ; then strain off the liquor and bottle it. 
The perfume is excellent, and will be useful for the hands, face, 
and hair. 



622. Shaving. — The hone and razor-strop should be kept in 
good condition. The German hone is best : it should be frequently 
moistened with oil, and laid up in a place where it will not 
readily become dry : if it be rubbed with soap, instead of oil, 
previously to using, it will give additional keenness and fine- 
ness to the edge of the razor. 

• The strop should al^ be kept moist with a drop or two of 
sweet oil : a little crocus and oil rubbed in the strop with a 
glass bottle will give the razor a fine edge ; as will also a 
paste made of tutty powder and solution of oxalic acid. 

Mr. Knight, president of the Horticultural Society, has 
invented the following apparatus and method of sharpening a 
razor : Procure a round bar of cast steel, three inches long, 
and about one-third of an inchjn diameter; rub it smooth from 
end to end with glass paper ; next, smear over its surface a paste 
of oil and the charcoal of wheat straw, and fix the steel into a 
handle. To set a razor, dip it in hot water, raise its back, and 
move it without pressure, in circles, from heel to point, and 
back again ; clean the blade on the palm of the hand, and again 
dip it into hot water. This newly invented apparatus may be 
purchased at any cutler's. 

A very small piece of nitre, dissolved in water and applied 
to the face after shaving, will remove any unpleasant sensation, 
though the first application may be somewhat painful. 



150 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

623. Shaving Liquids.— -\. Eub in a marble mortar an ounce 
of any fine soap, with tv/o drachms of carbonate of potassa. 
When these two substances are incorporated, continue rubbing, 
and add gradually a pint of lavender-water, or any other odor- 
ous water made by dissolving essential oils in alcohol sixty de- 
grees above proof. When the whole is well combined, filter 
the liquid, and bottle it for use. To make a lather, put a few 
drops into a wine-glass of tepid water ; dip your brush in the ' 
mixture, and, w^hen rubbed on the face, a fine lather will ap- 
peair. 2. Dissolve any quantity of fine soap in alcohol, either 
with or without perfume. Use it according to the preceding 
directions. 



024. An Easy Shave, — The operation of shaving may be 
robbed of its unpleasant sensations by rubbing the chin over 
with grease, or a sweet oil, before the application of the razor. 
The best razor-strop in the world is one's own hand, moistened 
with its own natural oil or perspiration. Sharpen the razor 
thus before you wash your hands, and you will find this natural 
strop most eflBcacious. After shaving, to allay irritation, wash 
the chin wuth Portuoral water. 



625. Composition for Shaving^ without the use of razor ^ soap^ 
or water. — Mix one pint and a half of clear lime-water, two 
ounces of gum-arabic, half an ounce of isinglass, an eighth of an 
ounce of cochineal, a quarter of an ounce of turmeric-root (made 
into powder), an eighth of an ounce of salt of tartar, and an 
eighth of an ounce of cream of tartar, together : boil them for 
one hour at least (stirring up the mixture during the whole 
time of boiling, and be careful not to let it boil over), clear it 
through a sieve ; then add two and a half pounds of pumice 
stone, finely pulverized ; mix the whole together with the hands, 
by the assistance of the white of two eggs, w^ell stirred up. 
Then divide the cake into twelve small ones. Dry them in the 
open air for three days ; put them into an oven moderately 
heated for twenty -four hours, when they will be ready for use. 
Apply them, with a gentle friction, to the beard, and they will 
produce the cflTect of shaving by rubbing off the hair. 



PAET III. 
HOME PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS. 

Needle-worJc^ Fancy -worh — Preparations for Writing — Flow^ 
ers — House Plants — Birds — Gold Fish, dc. 

The first and best use of the needle is common or plain 
sewing. Every woman and girl should understand this art, 
the beginning of all arts, and the most indispensable to civili- 
zation. 

It is unnecessary to dilate on the importance of common 
needlework, and to this female accomplishment, so universally 
necessary, we shall principally confine our directions. 

626. Requisites for jewing, — A neat work-box well supplied 
with all the implements required, including knife, scissors (of 
at least three sizes), needles and pins in sufficient variety, bod- 
kins, thimbles, thread and cotton, bobbins, marking silks, black 
lead pencils, &c., should be provided, and be furnished with a 
lock and key, to prevent the contents being thrown into confu- 
sion by children or unauthorized intruders. 

The lady, being thus provided, and having her materials, im- 
plements, (Sec, placed in order upon her work-table, to the edge 
of which it is an advantage to have a pincushion affixed by 
means of a screw — may commence her work, and proceed with 
it with pleasure to herself, and without annoyance to any 
visitor who may favor her with a call. We would recommend, 
wherever practicable, that the work-table should be made of 
cedar, and that the windows of the working parlor should open 
into a garden well supplied with odoriferous flowers and plants, 
the perfume of which will materially cheer the spirits of those 



152 iiES. male's receipts tor tks million. 

especially, Avhose circumstanees compel them to devote the 
greatest portion of their time to sedentary occupations. If these 
advantages cannot be obtained, at least the room should be 
well-ventilated, and furnished with a few cheerful plants, and 
a well-filled scent-jar. The beneficent Creator intended all his 
children, in whatever station of life they might be placed, to 
share in the common bounties of his providence ; and when she, 
.who works not for pleasure, but to obtain the means of subsist- • 
ence, is compelled to seclude herself, for days or weeks to- 
gether, from the cheering influence of exercise in the open air, 
it becomes both her duty, and that of those for whom she 
labors, to secure as much of these advantages, or of the best 
substitutes for them, .as the circumstances of the case will 
admit. 



EXPLANATION OF STITCHES. 

627. Hemming, — Turn down the raw edge as evenly as pos- 
sible. Flatten, and be careful, especially in turning down the 
corners. Hem from right to left ; bring the point of the needle 
from the chest toward the right hand. Fasten the thread 
without a knot, and when you finish, sew several stitches close 
together, and cut oflf the thread. 

628. Mantua-maker^ s Hem. — You lay the raw^ edge of one 
of your pieces a little below. that of the other; the upper edge 
i^ .then turned over the other twice, and felled down as strong 
as possible. 

629. Sewing and Felling. — If you have selvages, join them 
together, and sew them firmly. If you have raw edges, turn 
down one of the edges once, and the other double the breadth, 
and then turn half of it back again. This is for the fell. The 
two pieces are pinned together, face to face, and seamed to-- 
gether — the stitches being in a slanting direction, and just deep 
enough to hold the separate pieces firmly together. Then 
flatten the seam with the thumb, turn the w^ork over, and fell it 
the same as hemming. The thread is fiistened by being worked 
between the pieces, and sewn over. 

.630. Running. — Take three threads^ leave three^ and, in order 
that the work may be kept as firm as possible, back-stitch 



HOME PURSUITS A]N'D DOMESTIC ARTS. 153 

occasionally. If you sew selvages, they must be joined evenly- 
together; but if raw edges, one roust be turned down once, 
and the other laid upon it, but a few threads from the top : in 
this case, it must be felled afterwards. 



631. Stitching, — The work must be as even as possible. 
Turn down a piece to stitch to; draw a thread to stitch upon, 
.twelve or fourteen threads from the edge. Being thus prepared, 
you take two threads hack^ and so bring the needle out from 
under two before. Proceed in this manner to the end of the 
row ; and, in joining a fresh piece of thread, take care to pass 
the needle between the edges, and so bring it out where the 
last stitch is finished. 



032. Gathering, — You begin by taking the article to be gather- 
ed, and dividing it into halves, and then into quarters, putting 
on pins to make the divisions. The piece to which you are 
intending to gather it, must be gathered about twelve threads 
from the top, taking three threads on the needle, and leaving 
four ; and so proceeding alternately until one quarter is gather- 
ed. Fasten the thread by twisting it round a pin ; stroke the 
gathers, so that they lie evenly and neatly, .with a strong needle 
or pin. You then proceed as before, until all the gathers are 
gathered. Then take out the pins, and regulate the gathers 
of each quarter so as to correspond with those of the piece to 
which it is to be sewed. The gathers are then to be fastened 
on, one at a time; and the stitches must be in a slanting direc- 
tion. The part to be gathered must be cut quite even before 
commencing, or else it will be impossible to make the gathering 
look well. 



G33. Double Gathering^ or Puffing, — This is sometimes em 
ployed in setting on frills, and, when executed properly,, has a 
pretty effect. You first gather the top in the usual way ; then, 
having stroked down the gathers, you gather again under the 
first gathering, and of such a depth as you wish the puffing to 
be. You then sew on the first gathering to the gown, frock, 
(fee, you design to trim, at a distance corresponding with the 
width of the puffing, and the second gathering sewed to the 
edge, so as to form a full hem. You may make a double hem, 
if you please, by gathering three times instead of only twice; 
And one of the hems may be straight, while the other is drawn 



154 MRS. male's EICEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

to one side a little. This requires much exactness in the exe* 

cution, but, if properly done, it gives a pleasing variety to the 
work. 



634. German Hemming, — Turn down both the raw edges 
once, taking care so to do it as that both turns may be toward 
your person ; you then lay one below the other, so as that the 
smooth edge of the nearest does not touch the other, but lies 
just beneath it. The lower one is then to be hemmed or felled 
to the piece against which you have laid it, stil] holding it be- 
fore you. You are next to open your sleeve, or whatever else 
you have been employed upon, and, laying the upper fold over 
the lower, fell it down, and the work is done. 



635. Binding, — Various kinds of work have binding set on 
to them, in preference to hemming them, or working them in 
herring-bone stitch. Flannel is generally bound, sometimes 
with a thin tape, made for the purpose, and called " flannel 
binding." It is also common to bind flannel with sarcenet 
riband. The binding is so put on as to show but little over 
the edge on the right side, where it is hemmed down neatly ; 
on the other side it is run on with small stitches. 



636. Braiding, — Silk braid looks pretty, and is used for a 
variety of purposes. In putting it on, it is best to sew it with 
silk drawn out of the braid, as it is a better match, and the 
stiiches will be less perceived. 



637. Marking,- — It is of essential importance that clothes 
should be marked and numbered. This is often done with ink ; 
but as some persons like to mark with silk, we shall describe 
the stitch. Two threads are to be taken each way of the cloth, 
and the needle must be passed three ways, in order that the 
stitch may be complete. The first is aslant from the person, 
toward the right hand ; the second is downward toward you ; 
and the third is the reverse of the first — that is, aslant from you, 
toward the left hand. The needle is to be brought out at the 
corner of the stitch nearest to that you are about to make. 
The shapes of the letters or figures can be learned from an 
inspection of any common sampler. 

638. Piping, — This is much used in ornamenting children's 
and other dresses. It is made by enclosing a card of the proper 



HOMB PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS. 165 

thickness in a strip of silk cut crosswise, and must be put on 
as evenly as possible. 

639. Plaiting, — The plaits must be as even as it is possible 
to place them one against another. In double plaiting, they 
lie both, ways, and meet in the middle. 

640. To keep Thready Sewing-silk^ d:c, — In making up linen, 
thread is much preferable to cotton. "Sewing-silk should be 
folded up neatly in wash-leather, and colored threads and cotton 
in paper, as the air and light are likely to injure them. But- 
tons, hooks and eyes, and all metal implements, when not in 
use, should be kept folded up, as exposure to the air not onlj 
tarnishes them, but is likely to injure them in a variety of ways. 



INSTRUCTIONS IN THE PREPARATION OF HOUSE-LINEN. 

641. Bedroom Linen. — This includes quilts, blankets, sheets, 
pillow-covers, towels, table-covers and pincushion-covers. 

642. Quilts. — These are of various sizes and qualities, in ac- 
cordance with the purposes to which they are applied. They 
are generally made of the outside material and the lining — 
wadding or flannel being laid between — and stitched in dia- 
monds or other devices. The stitches must pass through the 
whole, and the edges of the quilt are to be secured by a braid- 
ing or binding proper for the purpose. They are best done in 
a frame. 



643. Blankets, — These are generally bought, ready-prepared 
for use. It is sometimes necessary to work over the edges at 
the end, which should be done with scarlet worsted, in a very 
wide kind of button-hole stitch. 



644. Sheets. — These are made of fine linen, coarse linen, and 
cotton-sheeting. Linen sheets are best for summer, and many 
prefer them at all seasons. If the sheeting is not sufficiently 
wide for the bed, two lengths must be sewed together. The 
seam up the middle must be sewed as neatly as possible, and 
the ends may be either hemmed or seamed: the latter is the 
preferable method. Sheets and all bedroom linen should bo 
marked and numbered; to add the date of the year is also an 
advantage. 



156 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

645. Pilloio-cases. — These are made of fine or coarse linen, 
and sometimes of cotton cloth. The material should be of such 
a width as to correspond with the length of the pillow. One 
yard and three nails, doubled and seamed up, is the proper size. 
One end is seamed up, and the other hemmed with a broad 
hem, and furnished with strings or buttons as is deemed most 
convenient. We think the preferable way of making pillow 
cavers is to procure a material of a sufficient width, when 
doubled, to admit the pillow. The selvages are then sewed to- 
gether, and the ends seamed and hemmed as before directed. 
Bolster covers are made in nearly the same manner, only that 
a round patch is let into one end, and a tape for a slot is ruu 
into the other. 



646. Toivels. — Towels are made of diaper or huckaback, of a 
quality adapted to the uses to which they are applicable. They 
should be one yard long and about ten or twelve nails wide. 
The best are bought single, and are fringed at the ends. Others 
are neatly hemmed, and sometimes have a tape-loop attached 
to them, by which they can be suspended against a wall. 

647. Dressing Table Covers. — These may be made of any 
material that is proper for the purpose. Fine diaper generally, 
but sometimes dimity and muslin are employed, or the table is 
covered with a kind of Marseilles quilting, which is prepared 
expressly for tEe purpose. Sometimes the covers are merely 
hem^med round, but they look much neater if fringed, or bor- 
dered with a moderately full frill. Sometimes a worked bor- 
der is set on. All depends upon taste and fancy. A neat and 
genteel appearance, in accordance with the furniture of the 
apartment, should be especially regarded, 

648. Pincushion Covers. — A large pincushion, having two 
covers belonging to it, should belong to each toilet table. The 
covers are merely a bag into which the cushion is slipped. They 
may be either w^orked or plain ; always of white muslin or 
linen cambric ; and should have small tassels at each corner, 
and a frill or frinfije all round. 



649. Tohle Linen, — This department of plain needlework 
comprises table-cloths, dinner-napkins, and large and small tray 
napkins. 



HOME PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS. 157 

650. Table-cloths, — These may be purchased either singly, 
or cut from the piece. In the latter case the ends should be 
hemmed as neatly as possible, and marked and numbered. 

651. JJinnw J}^rq:kinS'. — These are oi' various in ateri^Js; if cut 
from the piece, they must be hemmed at the ends the sants-^s 
table-cloths. Large and small tray napkins and knife-box 
cloths, are made in the same manner. The hemming of all 
these should be extremely neat. It is a pretty and light em- 
ployment for very young ladies ; little girls even should do 
this work, and thus early acquire habits of neatness and useful- 
ness, which will prove useful in after life. 



652. Housemaid and Kitchen Linen, — In the housemaid's de- 
partment, paint cloths, old and soft, and chamber bottle cloths, 
fine and soft, are to be provided. To these must be added 
dusters, flannels for scouring, chamber bucket-cloths^ which last 
should be of a kind and color different from everything else. 
All these must be neatly hemmed and run, or seamed if neees- 
sary. Nothing, in a well-directed family, should bear the im- 
press of neglect, or be suffered to assume an untidy appearance. 

653. Clothes-hags, — Clothes-bags of different sizes should 
also be provided, of two yards in length, and either one breadth 
doubled, in which case only one seam will be required, or of 
two breadths, which makes the bags more suitable for large 
articles of clothing. These bags are to be seamed up neatly at 
the bottom, and to have strings which will draw run in at the 
top. The best material is canvas, or strong unbleached linen. 
In the kitchen department, you will require both table and 
dresser cloths, which should be made as neat as possible. 

654. Mending, — In cutting up an old garment, it is a great 
advantage to have a portion of the same material new. For 
this reason, when purchasing cloth for a new garment, buy a 
little additional quantity for repairs, and take care that it is kept 
for that purpose, and not wasted in any way. 

It was formerly the custom with all careful women, when 
buying a dress, to buy an extra yard for new sleeving. To bo 
sure a gown was then more expensive than now ; but it should 
be remembered, that if six gowns can be bought for the money 
that used to buy three or four, they cannot be n]ade up in the 



158 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

same time at home, nor for the same money if put out, Anv 
tolerably handy woman, though she may not choose to venturo 
upon cuttmg out and making a new dress, may repair one, 
having 'the old pattern and lining to work by, and the very 
creases and stitches fojva guide. If, by so doing, a gc^^ v/ill 
wear liair as long again, the price of a littie'" over-quantity at 
"nrst, and a few hours employed on the work, are well bestowed. 
The same remark applies to the garments of men. Unless 
these be bought ready-made, the pieces should be carefully laid 
by for repairs. In children's clothing, these alterations and re- 
pairs are often needed. 



655. PatchworJc. — Many improvements may be made in 
patchwork that most of us have been accustomed to see for 
years. It is a kind of needlework very interesting for littie 
girls ; and old ladies frequently resort to this for amusement 
by their cosy firesides, during the long winter evenings, when 
tired of reading. 

656. Of the Materials, — The materials necessary for patch- 
work are such portions of wearing apparel, whether cloth, cali- 
co, linen, holland, silk, velvet, cotton, <Sz;c., such as would other- 
wise be thrown away, or saved for the rag-man. No matter 
how small the portion, every scrap has its use. The next ne- 
cessary article is some stiff paper — old envelopes, backs of let- 
ters, brown paper, &c., to form the shapes ; lastly, the design — •* 
shapes, cut out in tin^ and the designs themselves. 

The materials should be arranged into shades and qualit^s. 
After having been cut to required sizes, and the irregularities 
of the edges neatly repaired, they are ready for use. 

657. Patterns, — The 'patterns may be varied ad injiniium, if 
the person possesses the least talent for drawing ; but for the 
sake of those who may not be able to do this, we submit the 
following simple and effective designs to be executed in any 
of the materials. 



658. To make the Patchwork, — The pattern should be placed 
before the person, and the shades being selected, the several 
pieces arranged so as to form the design, and the edges then 
neatly sewed together ; after which they are either pressed, or 
ironed, the papers removed, and the lining proceeded with. 



HOME PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS, 



159 



When silks and velvets are employed, it improves the effect 
to combine 'the two, taking the silk for the lighter, and the vel- 
vet for the darker shades; or, as in figures 5, 6^ 8, and 11, to 
have silk for the lighter shades, and two velvets for the others, 
shaded to pattern. 

A very pretty effect is produced by combining Holland and 
calico, silk and satin, silk or satin and velvet, and rough and 
fine cloth. 

The various articles that may be manufactured, are quilts in 
colored and white calico ; anti-macassars in silks ; ottomans in 
silks and velvets, silks and cloth ; table-covers in silks and 
cloth ; cushions for chairs or sofas, m silks ; and mats, rugs, and 
carpets, in cloth. 

We have seen many useful white quilts for children's cots, 
made from the cuttings remaining after shirt making. The 
centre might be of Holland and calico, pattern 10, fig. 5, and 
then fig. 7, with a fringe border, knitted. Numerous rugs 
might be made in colored cloths, to look equal to carpets, for 
poor people, and wear much better. 



<I> 







r^ ^♦^ 





160 



MRS. n ale's receipts for thb million. 




AN ELEGANT MUSNUD FOR A SOFA. 



HOME PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS. 161 

659. The materials required, consist of braid of various hues, 
purse-silk of different shades, bed-ticking, feathers, down, horse- 
hair, or worsted ends ; the design-shapes, some cord for pijUngs, 
the various colored cloths, silks, &;c., and a curtain-ring or a 
piece of cardboard for the centre. 

The size varies from fifteen to eighteen inches in diameter, 
according to taste. • 

The colors cannot be fixed, because it depends much upon 
taste, but we have made the elegant musnud given p. 160, by 
placing cobalt as the right hand centre-piece, then (proceeding 
from right to left) white, salmon, pifrple, crimson, amber, pea 
green, and madder-brown. The handles are amber, the side 
brown, and the back purple. 

It is better, in combining or arranging all colors for patch- 
work, to keep as near as possible to the harmony observed by 
Nature ; therefore, to attend to the same order displayed in the 
case of a refracted ray of light, viz., violet, indigo, blue, green, 
yellow, orange, and red, adding, in this case, white, to represent 
the ray in its natural state before refraction or dispersion of its 
colors took place. 

To make the Musnud, — Cut two circles of fifteen or eighteen 
inches in diameter in bed-ticking, and a strip of the same mate- 
rial three inches deep, and thrice the length of the diameter; 
make into the usual shape, and stuff with feathers, down, horse- 
hair, or the refuse ends of worsted. Cut out two handles as in 
the design, of the same material, and sew them on. Rub the 
inside of the bed-ticking with a lump of bees'-wax previous to 
making up the musnud, (as it prevents the feathers and dust 
working through,) and tack the centre down. 

Cut out the back in a piece of purple moreen, or any othei 
material, then cut four strips of brown cashmere, each three 
inches deep and five long, join these neatly together to form 
the side, and braid the following design in bright yellow on 
it, finishing the veining of the leaves in chain-stitch with purse 
silk. 

The wedge-shaped pieces should now be cut out in the va- . 
rious colored cloths, &;c., and braided as in the design, four being 
braided with floral, and four with fancy designs. Each piece 
should measure nine inches in length and six inches and three- 
quarters in breadth at the outer part. The centre piece should 
measure two inches and a quarter in diameter, be of a dark 
brown, and braided with a bright yellow star, 
11 



162 MRS. HALI'S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

To cover the musnud^ sew the pieces neatly together, and 
cover the joining with narrow strips of dark brown cloth, 
braided in br^'ght yellow to resemble a chain ; cover the curtain 
ring, or circular piece of card-board, with the central piece, and 
sew it on. 

Now affix the pipings cut crossways out of brown cloth, and 
cover the handles with ajnber-colored njaterial, braid and pipe 
them ; join the back to the side with an intervening piping, slip 
the musnud into the lower covering, and sew on the top. 

In hraiding the patterns, the purple ground should have a 
scarlet braid. 

The brown, yellow. 

In finishing the braiding, it will require the occasional aid of 
some chain-stitch work in purse-silk, for the veinings of the 
leaves, stamens, tendrils, &c. 

Note, — This particularity in arranging colors and patterns 
may seem very trifling to some people ; but rules are required 
in all finished work. Habits of attention are an important part 
of education, or, rather, are indispensable to a well-trained 
mind. Therefore, we say, be particular to do all you undertake 
in a proper manner; and if you are making patchwork^ aim at 
perfection of its kind. But never fall in love with your own 
creations, and worship them as idols; and never neglect com- 
mon household duties for fanciful needlework. Eemember, 
also, that reading is more refining to the taste than finger-work ; 
and that to read well is a much higher accomplishment than any 
mere skill in counting stitches and matching shades^ 



FOR SILK EMBROIDERY. 

660. Useful Patterns for worhing in Cord^ Silk, and Muslin. — 
These are what are called " endless patterns," to be worked in 
cord. 

These fashions for embroidering the borders of cloaks, pelisses, 
sacques, &c., on merino, or fine cassimere, or flannel, with silk, 
are to be wrought with coarse or fine silk, or with a mixture 
of the two, according -to the degree of intricacy or simplicity 
in the parts of the pattern. 

We give two designs ; from these, other combinations may 
be made, to suit the fancy of the embroiderer. 



HOME PURSUITS A.ND DOMESTIC ARTS. 



/163 





SILK EMBROIDERY, ANOTHER WAY, 
See p, 164. 

G61. — In these patterns for embroidering the borders of 
cloaks, pelisses, sacques, (fee, on merino, or fine cassimere, or 
flannel, with silk, are to be wrought with coarse or fine silk, or 
with a mixture of the two, according to the degree of intricacy 
or simplicity in the parts of the pattern. 

These patterns are equally serviceable for muslin, or any 
other material. 

No. 1, to be worked on fine flannel or merino, with a mixture 
of coarse and fine silk. 

No. 2. to be worked oa flannel or merino, with fine silk. 





Na L 



. No. 2. 



HOME PURSUITS AND DOMJESTIC ARTS. 165 

662. Sewing on glazed Calico. — Bj passing a cake of white 
soap a few times over a piece of glazed calico, or any other 
stiffened material, the needle will penetrate as easily as through 
any other kind of work. 



663. To make Glass Jars to look like China, — Paint figures 
to resemble those in China jars, and cut them out so that none 
of the white paper remains; then, with thick gum-arabic w^ater, 
fasten them to the inside of the glass; Let thejn stand to dry 
for twenty-four hours. Then wipe off with a wet cloth the gum- 
arabic on the glass between the prints, and let them stand a 
few hours longer. Then take white wax and flake white, ground 
very fine, and melt them together. With a japanning-brush 
go over all the glass above the prints : done in this manner, 
they will hold water. For a blue ground, use white wax and 
Prussian blue, ground fine ; for red, wc\x and vermilion, or car- 
mine ; for green, wax and verdigris ; for chocolate, wax and 
burnt umber. 



664. To give Plaster Figures the appearance of Marble, — Put 
into a well-glazed earthen vessel, four pounds of clear water 
and one ounce of pure curd soap, grated ; add one ounce of 
white bees'-wax, cut into thin slices. Let them dissolve over 
a slow fire. As soon as the whole is incorporated, it is fit for 
use. Let the figure be thoroughly dried, then suspend it by a 
twine, and dip it once into the varnish ; upon taking it out, the 
varnish will appear to have been absorbed ; in two minutes* 
time, stir the compost, and dip it a second time, which is gene- 
rally sufficient. Cover it carefully from the dust for a week ; 
thcH, with a soft muslin rag, rub the figure gently, when a most 
brilliant gloss will be produced. 



665. To improve Plaster Casts. — Brush them over with size, 
ind, when dry, varnish them with copal varnish. 



666. To dissolve Putty, — To remove old putty from glazed 
frames, brush over it pearlash and slaked stone-burnt lime, 
mixed to the thickness of paint. 



146 



MRS. HALE S RECEIPTS FOP. THE MILLION. 



ANGLO-JAPANESE WORK. 




667. This elegant and most useful work is very easy in its 
execution, while the means and appliances for its performance 
are within the reach of every one. The materials are simply 
yellow withered leaves, a little dissolved gum, black paint, and 
copal varnish : while the objects to be ornamented may be a 
box, cupboard, table, &c., in fact, any old furniture that has 
been rendered unsightly by age or long use. A plain deal box, 
costing about a shilling, may by this process, so far as the out- 
side goes, be converted into a costly-looking dressing-case. An 



HOME PURSUITS AND IK)MEGTIC AKTfe, 167 

exquisite chess-board may be made, with very little skill, from 
a square piece of deal. Flower-pots, pole-screens, folding and 
hand-screens, may all be decorated in this manner, and, from 
untidy-looking lumber, may be converted into articles of use, 
elegance, and beauty ; and this at a merely nominal expense, 
taste being the chief requisite in the production. The employ- 
ment forms one of the most agreeable and pleasing amusements 
for summer da)s and winter evenings; in the summer, giving 
a purpose and an aim to many a joyous ramble, for in these 
desultory walks a goodly collection may be made of Nature's 
ambered jewels. 

All leaves that are small, of uneven shape, and serrated at 
the edges, are well adapted for this work. As they are collect- 
ed, they should be placed between sheets of paper, but not 
close together, then pressed by placing a board on the top, 
with a weight upon it, to express any moisture that may be 
therein, and to render them quite flat. In the autumn, the 
sweet-scented geranium-leaves, the maple, thorn, chrysanthe- 
mum, wild parsley, fern, and a multitude of others, may be 
found, including the smaller sycamore and small vine-leaves ; 
but they must all have turned of a golden hue, or reddish-tinted 
yellow. Prepare the article to be ornamented, thus: — First 
rub the surface smoothly down with sand-paper ; then coat it 
over with black paint,* which can be procured, ready-mixed, 
at any oil-shop; when dry, rub it down smoothly with pumice- 
stone, and give two more coats. When these are dry, arrange 
the leaves on the surface in a careless manner, but not in groups, 
unless preferred. Butterflies drawn, and colored yellow with 
gamboge, or cut out of prints, and then colored, may be stuck 
at different spaces with advantage ; but tlii^re should be no 
other color than the brown and diflerent tints of yellow in the 
leaves. Gum the wrong side of the leaf, and press it on in its 
appointed place with a hard tuft of wadding, fastened tightly 
up in a piece of silk. Continue this with the whole of the 
leaves; and when they are all gummed on, dissolve some gela- 
tine or isinglass in warm water, and while rather warm, brush 
It well over every portion of the work, using the brush entirely 
one way, not forward and back. When dry, give the work 
three coats of the best copal varnish, letting the article remain 
a day or two between each coat. Thii^rocess, though elabo- 
rate in detail, is easily and even quickly done, and will well 
repay any trouble that may be taken, as, with a renewed coat 



IQS MRS. H ale's receipts FOR THE MILLION. 

of varnish every five or six years, it will remain, as long as the 
wood will hold together, as bright in appearance as when first 
finished. 



668. Sealing Wax Varnish,— For fancy work, this has, of 
late years, been much used, and if well applied, and the wax 
good, will be a very good imitation of India Japan. The me- 
thod of making the varnish or japan is very easy, being simply 
reducing the wax to a coarse powder, and pouring the best spirits 
of wine on it in a bottle, and letting it gradually dissolve with- 
out heat, shaking the bottle occasionally till it is all dissolved. 
A two-ounce stick of the best wax will be enough for a quarter 
of a pint of spirits. Eecollect that much depends on the good- 
ness of the sealing-wax ; and that you may vary the color of the 
varnish by using different colored wax. As this varnish dries 
very quickly, it should not be made until it is wanted for use. 



669. Method of preparing the Composition used for Colored 
Drawings and Prints, so as to make them resemble Paint in Oil. 
— Take of Canada Balsam, one ounce ; spirit of turpentine, two 
ounces ; mix them together. Before this composition is applied, 
the drawing or print should be sized with a solution of isinglass 
in water, and when dry, apply the varnish with a camel-hair 
brush.. • . 



670. Oil and Water Gilding. — In oil gilding, the frame is first 
eovered with a composition of whiting and parchment size, then 
with a coating of " oil gold size^'' (a kind of varnish,) upon which 
when nearly dry, gold leaf is applied. 



671. In Water Gilding^ a size mixed with water is used. 
Parts of the frame are burnished, other parts left dead. This 
is the most beautiful and expensive style of gilding, but it does 
not bear washing as oil gilding does. 

[" The Carver and Gilder," published by Knight, furnishes 
much useful information on this subject.] 



672. To mount Prints or Maps, — Upon a table, floor, or board, 
stretch a piece of calico or smooth canvas, by first fixing it with 
tacks along one side, then straining it tightly with one nand, 
and driving the tacks #lth the other : nail the remaining edges, 
leaving no wrinkles on the surface. Paste the back of the print 



HOME PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS. 169 

or map, fold it together, and let it remain until the paper 13 
soaked^ then open it, and place it evenly on the canvas, cover it 
with a sheet of clean paper, and beginning in the middle, rub it* 
down carefully with the hand, going from the centre all round 
to the edges, until all the air is excluded, and the paper adheres 
olosely to the canvas. When quite dry, with a large camel- 
hair brush lay on a coating of parchment size, repeating this 
when dry : then varnish with mastic varnish. Parchment size 
is made by boiling parchment cuttings in water, until it forms 
a jelly when cold. Mastic varnish may be procured at oil and 
color-shops. 



673. New Camera Lucida, — Sir John Robinson devised, a few 
years since, a cheap and easily-used camera lucida, applicable 
to the delineation of flowers and other small objects. A piece 
of plate glass is made to stand in a vertical position by means 
of a support. It rests on a table covered with white paper, 
and the object is placed on the paper on one side of the glass. 
On looking down from that side of the glass diagonally, an 
image of the object is seen on the paper on the other side, and 
a drawing of it can be readily taken. 



674. Varnish for Oil Pictures. — According, to the number of 
your pictures, take the whites of the same number of eggs, and 
an equal number of pieces of sugar-candy, the size of a hazel-nut, 
dissolved, and mix it with a tea-spoonful of brandy ; beat the 
whites of your eggs to a froth, and let it settle ; take the clear, 
put it to your brandy and sugar, mix them well together, and 
varnish over your pictures with it. 

This is much better than any other varnish, as it is easily 
washed off when your pictures want cleaning again. 



675. To take Impressions of Butterflies* Wings, — Lay the 
wings gently on paper, wet with gum arable water, and nearly 
dry ; a copy will be left when the wing is removed, but inferior 
in beauty to the wing itself. It is better to gum the wings 
themselves on paper, and paint the body of the fly in its natural 
position. 



676. To preserve the Eggs of Birds, — First clean them of their 
contents. This may be done with the larger eggs by making 
a hole on one side large enough to admit a quill, and shaking out 



170 MKS. Hale's receipts for Tua milijox. 

the contents. Then wash them well with a solution of camphor, 
not too strong, or it will make them brittle. When dry, fasten 
them with gum on the side in which the hole was made to a 
piece of card board, and write the name under each. As the 
colors of many of them are perishable, to preserve them give 
them a slight coating of varnish. The best varnish for this 
purpose is isinglass dissolved in gin. In cleaning the smaller 
eggs, make a hole at each end, a little to one side, and blow 
them. The camphor solution need not be used. 



677. To make Artificial Coral. — Melt together four parts of 
yellow resin and one part of vermilion. Dip twigs, cinders or 
stones in this, and when dry they will resemble coral. 



678. An Excellent Pen- Wiper for Steel Pens. — Fill a short, 
wide-mouthed vial with shot, the smaller the better. When- 
ever it is necessary to clean the pen, rub it up and down in the 
shot. This is much more effectual than cloth wipers, and the 
shot will last a life-time. 



679. To preserve Steel Pens. — Metallic pens may be pre- 
served from rusting by throwing into the bottle containing the 
ink a few nails, or broken pieces of steel pens, if not varnished. 
The corrosive action of the acid which the ink contains is ex- 
pended on the iron so introduced, and will not therefore affect 
ihe pen. 



680. Black Paper for drawing Patterns. — Mix and smooth 
lamp-black and sweet oil; with a bit of flannel cover a sheet 
or two of large writing-paper with this mixture; then dab the 
paper dry with a bit of fine linen, and keep it by for using in 
the following manner : — Put the black side on another sheet 
of paper, and fasten the corners together with small pins. Lay 
on the back o^ the black paper the pattern to be drawn, and 
go over it with the point of a steel pencil ; the black paper will 
then leave the impression of the pattern on the under sheet, on 
which you must draw it with ink. 

l^ you draw patterns on cloth or muslin, do it with a pen 
dipped in a bit of stone biue, a bit of sugar, and a little water, 
tnixed smooth in a t(;acup, in which it will be always ready for 
jse, if fresh; wet to a due consistence as wanted. 



;JOMK PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS. 171 

681. To malce Transparent Paper for Drawing, — Tracing 
paper is readily made by taking a sheet of very thin silk, or 
other paper, and rubbing it over gently with some soft sub- 
stance, filled with a mixture of equal parts of drying oil, and 
oil of turpentine, which, being suspended and dried, will be fit 
for use in a few days ; or it may be had at any of .the shops. 
Lay this transparent material on the print or drawing to be 
transferred, and, with a sharp black lead pencil, trace the out- 
lines exactly as they appear through the paper. If more per- 
manent or stronger lines are wished, ink mixed with ox-gall 
will be necessary to make it adhere to the oiled surface. 



682. Transparent Paper. — Wet some fine paper with a fea- 
ther on both sides with a thin layer of rosin, dissolved in spirits 
of W'ine. It will then serve to put over anything you wish to 
take off. 



683. Method of using Tracing Paper, — Take a piece of the 
size required, and rub it equally over, on one side, with black 
lead, reduced to a powder, till the surface will not readily soil 
a finger; then lay a piece of white paper with the leaded side of 
this paper next to it, under the print, and securing them firmly 
together with pins at the corners, proceed to take the outlines 
with a blunt point, and some degree of pressure, which will trans- 
fer the lead to the clean paper precisely in the direction the point 
passed over the print ; this may be corrected with the black lead 
pencil, and cleansed of any soil by the crumbs of stale bread. 



684. MetJiod of setting Pencil Drawings. — A solution of alum 
w^ater, in which the drawing is to be dipped (not washed on 
with a brush, as it would smear) will answer the purpose ex- 
tremely well. 

685. Wash for p>reserving Drawings made with Blaclc Lead 
Pencil, or with hard Black Chalk. — A thin wash of isinglass will 
fix either black lead or hard black chalk, &c., so as to prevent 
their rubbing out; or the same efiect may be produced by the 
simple application of skimmed milk. The best way of using 
the latter, is, to lay the drawing fiat upon the surface of the 
milk, and then, taking it up expeditiously, to hang it by the 
one corner till it drains and dries. The milk must be perfectly 
free from cream, or it will grease the paper. 



1*72 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

686. To make Red Sealing Wax. — To every ounce of shell-lao 
take half an ounce each of resin and verniiiion, all reduced to a 
fine powder. Melt them over a moderate fire ; and when tho- 
roughly incorporated and sufficiently cool, form the composition 
into what are called sticks. On account of the dearness of shell- 
lac, seed-lac is usually substituted. A more ordinary sort, but 
sufficiently good for most occasions, may be made by mixing 
equal parts of resin and shell-lac with two parts of red lead and 
one of vermilion. In a still commoner sort, the vermilion is 
often entirely omitted. 



MARKING INK. 

687. Mix in six drachms of distilled water, tw^o drachms of 
sub-nitrate of silver, and two drachms of gum-arabic. For the 
mordant, mix with four ounces of water, half an ounce of gum- 
arabic, and half an ounce of sub-carbonate of soda. The article 
to be marked should first be wetted with the mordant, and 
pressed smooth, and should be thoroughly dried before it is 
written upon. The mark should be exposed to the light for 
some time, to become black. 



688. Permanent Red Inhfor marking Linen. — This useful pre- 
paration, which was contrived by Dr. Smellie, of Edinburgh, 
who was originally a printer in that city, may be used either 
-with types, a hair pencil, or even with a pen: Take half an 
ounce of Vermillion, and a drachm of salt of steel ; let them be 
finely levigated with linseed oil, to the thickness or limpidity 
required for the occasion. This has not only a very good ap- 
pearance, but will, it is said, be found perfectly to resist the 
effects of acids, as well as of all alkaline leys. It may be made 
of other colors, by substituting the proper articles instead of 
Vermillion. 



689. An Indelible Ink for marking Linen, — Pour a little aqua- 
fortis into a cup, and add to it a small piece of pure silver; 
when the effervescence ceases, filter the solution through a piece 
of blotting-paper, and put it into a small phial ; then add to it 
a little gum-arabic and a little of the paint, called sap-green. 
After the whole is perfectly combined it is then fit for use. 



HOME PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS. 173 

690. To take out Writing, — When recently written, ink may- 
be completely removed by the oxymuriatic acid (concentrated 
'and in solution). The paper is to be washed over repeatedly 
with the acid ; but it will be necessary afterwards to wash it 
also with lime-water, for the purpose of neutralizing any acid 
that may be left on the paper, and which would considerably 
weaken it. But if the ink have been long written, it will have 
undergone such a change as to prevent the preceding process 
from taking effect. It ought therefore to be washed with liver 
of sulphur (sulphuret of ammonia), before the oxymuriatic acid 
is applied. It may be washed with a hair pencil. 

691. To make Old Writing legible, — Take six bruised gall- 
nuts, and put them to a pint of strong white wine; let it stand 
in the sun for forty-eight hours. Dip a brush in it and wash 
the writing, and by the color you will discover whether the 
mixture is strong enough of the galls. 



692. Sympathetic Ink, — With a clean pen write on paper 
with a solution of muriate of cobalt, so diluted with water, that 
the writing when dry will be invisible. On gently warming 
the paper, the writing will appear of a blue or greenish color, 
which will disappear again when cool. A solution of muriate 
of copper forms a yellow and sympathetic ink, and acetate of 
cobalt a rose or purple. If a landscape be drawn representing 
a winter scene, the paper being overlaid where the foliage 
should be with the green sympathetic ink, then, on gently 
warming the drawing, it will represent summer. Sky and 
water may be drawn with the blue, and standing corn with the 
yellow ink. 

693. Blue Ink. — Dissolve a small quantity of indigo in a 
little oil of vitriol, and add a sufficient quantity of water, in 
which gum-arabic has been dissolved. 

694. Yellow Ink. — Dissolve gamboge in a solution of gum 
arable. 



695. Scarlet Ink, — Dissolve vermilion in a solution of gum- 
arabic. 



1*74 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

696. Red Ink, — Boil one ounce of Brazil wood in half-a-pint 
of water for a quarter of an hour; add to the decoction three 
drachms of gunri-arabic, and an ounce of alum. 



697. Green Ink, — Verdigris, two ounces ; cream of tartar, 
one ounce; water, half a pint; boil till reduced to one half, and 

filter. 



698. Excellent Writing Ink, — Boil eight ounces of galls in 
coarse powder, and four ounces of logwood in thin chips, in 
twelve pints of rain water, for one hour : strain the liquor, and 
add four ounces of green copperas, three ounces of powdered 
gum-arabic, one ounce of blue vitriol, and one ounce of rock 
candy, powdered ; stir the mixture until the whole be dissolved, 
then let it subside twenty -four hours; decant it very steadily, 
and put it into stone bottles for use. 

A clove kept in it will prevent it from becoming mouldy. 



699. Black Ink, — To make one gallon, take of pounded blue 
nutgalls one pound; copperas, six ounces; gum common, four 
ounces ; soft water, one gallon. Dissolve the gum separately 
by the fire, and add, after it has boiled a quarter of an hour. 
Let the ink be boiled over a slow fire three-quarters of an hour. 



700. To make Ink, — To four ounces of bruised galls, allow 
%two of copperas and two of gum-arabic ; put the galls into a 

large bottle, with three pints of rain water ; and, in three or 
four days, dissolve the gum in hot water, and add it with the 
copperas. Shake the bottle frequently for some days. A few 
cloves may be put into the bottle, to prevent the ink from 
moulding. 

701. Ink Poivder. — Take five ounces of the cleanest nutgalls, 
bruise them, and sift the powder very fine ; then add one ounce 
of white copperas, two ounces of Roman vitriol, gum-arabic, 
half an ounce ; pound and sift them very fine. An ounce of 
this powder will make a pint of very black ink. 

702. To prevent Ink from moulding, — Half-a-dozen cloves, 
bruised with gum-arabic, are to be put into the bottle. If a 
very fine ink is wanted, white wine, or vinegar and water^ 
should be used, instead of water alone. 



HOME PURSUITS A.ND DOMESTIC ARTS. 175 

70?, To malce Indian Inlc, — Put six lighted wicks into a dish 
of oil ; hang an iron or tin concave cover over it, so as to receive 
all the smoke ; when there is a sufficient quantity of soot settled 
to the cover, then take it off gently with a feather upon a sheet 
of paper, and mix it up with gum-tragacanth to a proper con 
sistence. 

N. B. The clearest oil makes the finest soot, consequently 
the best ink. 



704. Indian Ink. — Take horse-beans, burn them till they are 
perfectly black, grind them to a fine powder, and, with weak 
gum-arabic water make it into a paste, and form it into long 
square cakes. 



705. To make China /tz^.— Take dried black horse-beans, 
burn them to a powder, mix them up with gum-arabic water, 
and bring them to a mass ; press it well, and let it dry. 



MANAGEMENT OF CANARY-BIRDS. 

706. Canary-birds, that are kept tame, will breed three or 
four times in the year. Towards the middle of March, begin 
to match your birds, putting one cock and hen into the breeding- 
cage, which should be large, so that the birds may have room 
to fly and exercise themselves. Place two boxes or little 
basket-nests in the cage, for the hen to lay her eggs in, because 
she will sometimes have a second brood before the first are 
fit to fly, leaving the care of them to the father-bird, who feeds 
and brings them up with much care, while she is sitting on her 
second nest of eggs. Whilst your birds are pairing, feed them, 
besides the usual seeds, with the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, 
bread that has been moistened, or, if hard, grated fine, and 
pounded almond-meat. When the young birds are to be fed, 
give the same soft food, and be sure have it fresh every day ; 
also furnish the old birds with fresh greens, such as cabbage- 
lettuce, chickweed, groundsel, &c. Give fresh water every day, 
and a clean bath every morning. The hen lays, commonly, 
four or five eggs, and sits fourteen days. When the young are 
hatched, leave them to the care of the old birds, to nurse and 
bring up till they can fly and feed themselves, which is, usually 
in about twenty days. 



I'yG MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

707. Gold and Silver Fish, — Pure rain-water is best to keep 
these delicate little creatures in ; they should never be put into 
water that has been boiled. It is a good plan to throw them in 
the morning into a large bowl of fresh water, with a few bread- 
crumbs in it, and let them remain there an hour. Then put 
them in pure fresh water in their vases. The water should be 
changed every day. If the bread remains in the water to be- 
come sour, it will kill the fish. 

708. Improvement in the management of Bees, — The improve- 
ment is that of having double skeps or hives, the one on the 
top of the other. When the lower skep is filled with honey, 
it is to be removed after the bees are admitted (through a pas- 
sage which is made to be opened) into the upper skep ; into 
this skep food must be put, and the bees will remain there, 
and go on with their work in it. When it is filled with honey, 
the former skep, with food in it, may be replaced, and the bees 
again admitted into it. The full skep is then to be taken away. 
This change of the skeps must always be made about mid- 
summer ; and by thus annually removing the full one, more 
honey will be collected than is usual, and the bees will not be 
destroyed. 

709. To preserve Flowers in Water, — Mix a little carbonate 
of soda with the water, and it will preserve the flowers for a 

^ fortnight. Common saltpetre is also a good preservative. 

710. To preserve Flowers in Winter, — Take the latest buds 
just as they are ready to open ; cut them oflf, leaving the stem 
about three inches long; cover the end of the stem with melted 
sealing-wax, and when the buds are a little withered, wrap then\ 
separately in paper, and place them in a dry box. When you 
wish to have the buds blossom, cut off the sealed end, and put 
them into water in which a little saltpetre has been dissolved. 
In twelve hours the buds will be open. 

711. To take Impressions of Leaves. — Dissolve in a saucerful 
of water abojt a tea-spoonful of bichromate of potash. Pass 
the paper to be used through this solution, and, while wet, 
press the leaves lightly upon it, and expose it to the sun when 
it is shining brightly. When perfectly dry, remove the leaves, 
and a facsimile will be left in a light lemon shade, while the 
rest of the paper will be of a daj'k brown. 



9 

HOME PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS. 177 

712. To preserve the natural color in Petals of dried Flowers. — 
Immerse the petals for some minutes in alcohol. The '^.olors 
will fade at first, but in a short time they will resume, perma- 
nently, their natural tint. 

713. To revive faded Flowers. — Nearly all flowers may be 
revived, when faded, by placing one-third of the stalks in hot 
water ; when it has become cold, the flowers wnll be re-set and 
fresh ; the end of the stalks should then be cut off, and the flow- 
ers put into cold water. 

Or, dip flowers in spirits of wine for twenty minutes; at first 
they will appear to have entirely faded ; but in drying, the 
colors will revive, and the fragrance be prolonged. 

A few grains of salt put into the water with flowers, will 
keep them from fading. 

Sand may be substituted for water. 

Flow^ers may be preserved throughout the winter, if plucked 
when they are half-blown, dipped, stalks downward, in equal 
quantities of water and verjuice mixed, and sprinkled with bay 
salt. They should be kept in an eiirthenware vessel, closely 
covered, and in a warm place; when, in mid-winter, if the 
flowers -oe taken out, washed in cold water, and held before a 
gentle fire, they wull open as if in their first bloom, 

714. To paint Cloth., Cambric^ Sarcenet^ &c^ so as to render 
them Transparent. — Grind to a fine powder three pounds of 
clear white resin, and put it into two pounds of good nut-oil, 
to which a strong drying quality has been given : set the mix- 
ture over a moderate fire, and keep stirring it till all the resin 
is dissolved ; then put in two pounds of the best Venice turpen- 
tine, and keep stirring the whole well together ; and if the cloth' 
or cambric be thoroughly varnished on both sides with this 
miixture, it will be quite transparent. In this operation, the sur- 
face upon which the varnish is to be applied, must be stretched 
tight and made fast during the application. This mode of ren- 
dliring cloth, &c. transparent, is excellently adapted for window- 
blinds. The varnish will likewise admit of any design in oil- 
colors being executed upon it as a transparency. 



715. Varnish to prevent the rays of the Sun from pfassin^ 
through the gla.sses of Windows. — Pulverize gum-tragacunth, 
und put it to dissolve for twenty-fuur hours in whites of eggs, 
12 



178 M^s. hale's receipts for thb million, 

well beaten. Lay a coat of this on the panes of your windows, 
with a soft brush, and let it dry. 



716. To stain paper or parchment Yellow, — Paper may be 
stained of a beautiful yellow, by the tincture of turmeric, formed 
by infusing an ounce or more of the root, powdered, in a pint 
of spirit of wine. This, by the addition of water, may be made 
to give any tint of yellow, from the lightest straw to the full 
color called French yellow, and will be equal in brightness 
even to the best dyed silks. If yellow is wanted of a warmer 
or redder cast, anotta, or dragon's blood, must be added to the 
tincture. 



717. To stain paper or parchment Crimson. — A very fine 
crimson stain may be given to paper, by a tincture of the 
Indian lake, which may be made by infusing the lake some 
days in spirit of wine, and then pouring off the tincture from 
the dregs. 



718. To stain paper or parchment Green. — Paper or parch- 
ment may be stained green by the solution of verdigris in 
vinegar, or by the crystals of verdigris dissolved in water ; 
also by the solution of copper in aquafortis, made by adding 
filings of copper, gradually, to the aquafortis, till no ebullition 
ensues ; or, the spirit of salt may be substituted for the aqua- 
'fortis. 



HOUSE-PLANTS. 

719. Plants require much light and fresh air ; a light garret 
is an excellent place for them ; even those which will not bear 
the outer air, must have the air of the room frequently fresh- 
ened by ventilation, to preserve them in health. They should 
not stand in a draught of air. In frosty weather the windows 
should be kept close, and at night, the shutters. In sharp frost, 
instead of stirring out the fire, leave a little on retiring to rest, 
with a guard before it for security. 

As a general rule, never water plants while the sun shines. 
The time should be in the evening, or early in the morning, un- 
less it be confined to watering the roots, in which case trans- 
planted plants, and others in a growing state, may be watered 
at any time ; and, if they are shaded from the sun, they may 
also be watered over the tops. 



HOME PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS 179 

The water, if taken from a well or cold spring,, should be ex- 
posed one day to the sun, otherwise it will chill the plants. A 
small quantity only should be applied at a time, that it may 
have the effect of refreshing rain. 

Eain water is the best for plants ; next river water ; hard 
spring water is the w^orst. 



720. To air Plants, and ventilate Rooms wherein they are con- 
tained, — Plants should have air, every day in the year, to niako 
them grow well ; but this matter, in sitting-rooms, will not of 
course be regulated for their sakes, especially in the colder sea- 
sons. Wherever placed, however, some attention should be 
paid to airing and ventilating the rooms regularly, by opening 
the windows, and occasionally the doors, in order to excite a 
free circulation of air. This should be done to a certain extent 
every day, according to the state of the weather, except in the 
time of severe frost, when it would not be advisable to admit 
external air. But at such times, if bad weather be of long 
continuance, the rooms may be ventilated by means of the 
doors, and by exciting a current of air in the passages, or other 
parts of the house. 

In very severe frost, or in a continuation of damp weather, 
moderate fires should be made for the sake of the plants, if 
placed in rooms not occupied. The window shutters should 
also be closed at night. 



"121. Hints to Lovers of Flowers, — A most beautiful and 
easily-attained show of evergreens may be had by a very sim- 
ple- plan, which has been found to answer remarkably well on 
a small scale. If geranium branches taken from luxuriant and 
healthy trees, just before the winter sets in, be cut as for slips, 
and immersed in soap-water, they will, after drooping for a few 
days, shed their leaves, put forth fresh ones, and continue in the 
finest vigor all the winter. By placing a number of bottles 
thus filled in a fiower-basket, with moss to conceal the bottles, 
a show of evergreens is easily insured for the whole season. 
They require no fresh water. 

7?.2. Bulbous Roots. — The time to put bulbous roots, as the 
hyacinth, narcissus, and jonquil, into glasses filled with water, 
is from September to November, and the earliest will begin 
Woorning about Christmas, The glasses should be blue, as that 



180 MRS. halk's receipts for the million. 

• 

color best suits the roots; put in water enough to cover the 
bulb one third; let the water be sut't, change it once a week, 
and put hi a pinch of jsalt at each change. Keep ihu glasses in 
a moderately warm place, and near to the light. 

They should have fresh water about once in ten days. The 
leaves should not be, plucked off befoie they decay, or the root 
will be deprived of much of its natural nourishment. When 
they have decayed, the bulbs should Ijc taken up, laid in the 
shade to dry, cleaned, and kept in sand in a dry place till wanted 
to replant. The offsets should be taken off, and planted accord- 
ing to size. 

723. Geraniums. — The shrubby kinds are commonly in- 
creased by cuttings, which, if planted in June or July, and 
placed in the shade, will take root in five weeks. They are the 
most tender, and when placed out of doors, should be defended 
from strong winds, and be so placed as to enjoy the sun till ' 
eleven o'clock in the morning. As the shrubby kinds grow 
fast, so as to fill the pots with their roots, and push them 
through the opening at the bottom, they should be moved ^\^iYY 
two or three wee.ks in summer, and the fresh roots cut off. 
They should also be newly potted twice in the sumiher: once 
about a month after they are placed abroad, and again towards 
the end of August. When this is done, all the roots outside 
the earth should be pared off, and as niuch of the old earth re- 
^moved as can be done without injuring the plants. They 
should then be planted in a larger pot ; some tresh earth should 
first be laid at the bottom, and on that the plant should be 
placed, so that the old earth adhering to it may be al)out an 
inch below the rim of the pot ; it should next be filled up, and 
the pot slightly shaken : the earth mu8t then be gently pressed 
down at the top, leaving a little space for water to be given 
"without running over the rim; finally, the plant should be libe- 
rally watered, and the stem fastened to a stake, to prevent the 
wind displacing the roots before they are newly fixed. 

As the branches grow, and new leaves are formed at the top 
of them, the lower ones may die, and should be plucked ofi* 
every week. 

Geranium slips should be planted in May, June, or July, 
taking only the last year's shoots, from which the leaves must 
be stripped. When planted, give them water, and place theni 
in the shade : when they have taken root, let them have tho 



HOME PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS. 181 

Bun in the mornirig. The slips chosen for cutting should not 
be such as bear flowers ; and they should be inserted about 
half their length in the earth. 

Geraniums, except the shrubby kinds, require shelter from 
frost only, and should have free air admitted to them, when 
the weather is not very severe. In sultry weather, they should 
all be watered liberally Qvery morning, except some few of a 
succulent nature, which must be Watejed sparingly; the latter 
may be known by plucking a leaf from them. Geraniums 
may be watered three times a week, when not frosty, in 
winter. 



724. Artificial Mould for Plants^ — Russian potash, one 
drachm ; w ater, four ounces ; one tea-spoonful of oil. Mix the 
whole well together. Seeds put in this mixture will grow for 
a time at least, as well as if planted in common soil. 

725. To take Impressions of Plants,^ — Take half a sheet of 
fine paper, and cover the surface with sweet oil ; let it stand a 
minute or two, then rub off the superficial oil, and hang the 
paper in the air; when almost dry, move the paper slowly 
over the flame of a candle or lamp, till it is perfectly black ; 
lay on it the plant or leaf, place a piece of clean paper over, 
and rub it equally with the fingers for half a minute. Then 
place the plant on the paper or scrap-book where it is desired 
to have the impression, cover it with blotting paper, »nd, on 
repeating the rubbing, a representation of the plant will appear 
equal to the finest engraving. The same piece of black paper 
will serve for a number of impressions. 

726. Another Process. — Burn a common cork till reduced to 
powder; mix with it a tea-spoonful of olive oil, making a thick 
paste. Paint the veiny side of the leaf with a camel-hair 
brush, and lay it, with the 'painted side down, on a piece of 
clean paper. Submit it to a strong and even pressure (it is 
best placed in a book and put under a weight,) for about fifteen 
minutes; remove the leaf carefully, and there will be an exact 
representation left. Very veiny leaves are best. These impres- 
sions are almost equal to engravings. Collections of thcui 
might be made interesting, by having narratives of rambles 
written under them, stating the features of the spot from which 
the leaves were gathered. 



182 MRS. II ale's EECEinS FOR THE MILLION*. 



DIRKCTIOlsS FOR WINDOW-PLANTS. 

727. Through January and February. — The summer flower- 
ing-plants — such as geraniums, fuchsias, <Sz;c. — should be kept 
as nearly dormant as possible, allowing just enough water to 
prevent flagging, and ail the light that can be spared from the 
more interesting division of winter-bloomers ; of the latter class, 
such things as china-roses, cinerarias, hyacinths and other bulbs, 
will now be in an active state, some of them flowering, and 
others about to do so ; these musjt be liberally treated with 
water. Mignonnette, however, must be excepted. Above every- 
thing, keep the leaves clean ; they are few in number, and feeble 
in action, but they have yet an important function to perform ; 
and, without they are kept as health} as possible, the plant 
cannot begin a new growth with the \igor it is desirable it 
should possess. The pots should be occasionally scrubbed with 
clean water, but do not paint or otherwise fill up their pores, 
for air is as essential to the roots as to the foliage, and no 
inconsiderable quantity finds its way to them through the sides 
of a clean pot. With the same view% the surface of the soil 
should be frequently stirred ; the process keeps it open, pre- 
vents the growth of moss and weeds, and imparts a better ap- 
pearance. The water given should always be rather w^armer 
than the atmosphere of the room ; and rain-water, slightly heat- 
ed, is the best. 



- 728. March, — The whole of these plants will be benefited by 
re-potting. Geraniums and fuchsias delight in light rich earth ; 
calceolarias (lady's slipper), roses, the chimney campanula, and 
others which grow as freely, should have a larger proportion of 
loam ; whatever manure is added for either, must be thoroughly 
decayed. The pots shoidd be perfectly clean, inside and out; 
take care to have each properly drained with pieces of slate or 
potsherds, in size and number proportionate to the pot ; the 
larger ones require from one to three inches of this drainage. 
In removing the plants, take off the matted fibres with a knife ; 
loosen the soil moderately, and, when in its place, press the new 
€ai;th tightly round it; give a gentle watering, and keep them 
rather warm for a few days ; afterwards they should have plenty 
of air on fine days, and water as they become dry. Station 
each where it may receive the direct light, and pay particular 
attention to keeping the leaves clean. 



HOME PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS. 183 

729. April, — On the attention given through this month, 
most of the success for the season will depend. The plants are 
now, or ought to be, in a very active growth, which must be 
encouraged by moderate and regular supplies of water and air. 
Pinch out the points of the growing shoots of such plants as 
are required to b^lome bushy ; this is commonly called "stop- 
ping," and, with such things as geraniums, fuchsias, myrtles, 
and others of similar habit, is very necessary. Cactuses must 
have a sunny position, and plenty of water. Mignonette in 
jjots and boxes, will require thinning, so as to leave the plants 
about three inches apart. I'he several kinds of China roses 
form beautiful window ornaments, and occasion but little trou- 
ble : at this time they are coming rapidly into bloom. Look 
for and destroy insects of all sorts, every few days; they mul- 
tiply so fast, that without constant attention, the plants are 
soon overrun. The leaves must be kept clear of dust, and the 
branches properly tied out to sticks, that the centre may receive 
its due share of light. 



730. May, — As the influence of the advancing season and 
power of the sun begins to be felt, the management of window- 
plants becomes easier, and must be gradually changed from 
the careful nursing hitherto necessary, to a course of almost 
constant exposure that will render the plants robust and hardy. 



731. June, — From this time till the middle of September, 
plants in pots may be placed out of doors; they are, in fact, 
better in the open air, than in the heated atmosphere of a room. 
Except in stormy seasons, they may stand out night and day, 
in some slightly-sheltered spot. As a precaution against the 
effects of strong sun-light, it is advisable to place the pots in 
which the plants grow, into others a size or two larger, and fill 
the space between them with moss ; for many plants, having 
slender fibrous roots, are easily injured by the heat of the sun 
scorching them through the pot. Such as stand upon the ground, 
should have a thick layer of ashes spread for them, to prevent 
worms from creeping in. Wash their leaves frequently with 
clean water, and remove insects. When any portion of the 
eoUection is kept in-doors, a window facing the north or west 
is to be preferred, and plenty of air must be admitted. As 
soon as geraniums have done flowering, they should be cut 
down, rc-pottcd, and the toj^s struck, to foim plants for next 



134 MliS. lIALE'tt KE0E11"1"S FOK Tllli AIILMON. 

year. This is a good time to propagate nearly all kinds of 
pot-plants; most of them strike with fr(;edom on a warm border 
in sandy soil, covered with a glass, and k(;pt moderately water- 
ed. Myrtles, and some other hard-wooded plants, may be 
struck by placing the cuttings, for about half their length, into 
tt phial filled with water. Seeds must be j^wn in light earth, 
as soon as they are thoroughly ripe. 

732. July, — Fuchsias, in a growing state, should receive a 
final potting: place theiri in large, perfecti}' clean pots, using 
a mixture of turfy loam and pciat, or leaf mould ; train the 
shoots, and water liberally. Geraniums that have done flower- 
ing, should also be re-potted ; they require a lighter soil, such 
as one part turfy loam, two parts leaf mould, and the remainder 
Band: cut down the tops to witiiin two or three joints of their 
base, and set the plants in a warm sheltered y^lace, to induce 
tliem to grow again : the cuttings may be struck in a frame or 
hand-gla^s, and will f(;rm n-ice pl/mts [)y n(ixt season. Cactuses 
should be kept in a sunny situation, and have plenty of water. 
Cauieliias which have made their season's growth, may be set 
out of doors, to ripen. China roses niay be re-potted, if requi- 
site, and are easily propagated now, in the same manner as 
gcjaniuins. Separate and p(jt violets, for early spring-flowering ; 
kee[) them and similar plants, as the cyclairjen, &c., in the most 
shaded place out of doors. The whole tribe of lilies are hand- 
sonie window-plants, and some of the dwarf Japan kinds pecu- 
^Jjarly adapted for the purpose; they are just beginning to 
bloom, and should have plenty of air and water. The Chinese 
primrose may be S(jwn in pots of light rich earth, and, if cover- 
ed with a piece of glass, will vegetate quickly, and f jrm nice 
plants by the autumn. Propagation of such plants as myrtles, 
sweet-scented vei'ljcna, or lemon plant, chimney campanulas, 
&:c., is now easy, and should be attended to without loss of 
time. Water all the plants with regularity, and in quantities 
Droportionate to their size and the state of the weather; but 
particularly keep the leaves clean, by frequent sprinklings of 
cii.'an water and sponging. The essential points in the culture 
of every plant, is to allow the functions of both roots and leaves 
to be cairicd on in a proper manner — the first, by placing them 
in suitable soil, and the latter, by clcaiiiig theiu of all im* 
piiritics. 



HOME PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS. 185 

733. August — Needs only a continuance of the attention 
recommended last month. Let them have plenty of air, light, 
and water, with a slight protection from the mid-day sun ; pro- 
pagation may still be carried on successfully. Pot the belJa- 
rJonna and Guernsey lilies, to flower in autumn ; and the young 
plants of the Chinese primrose should be placed three or four 
together, in pots of light rich earth, and nursed, to forward their 
growth as far as possible. 

734. Septemher, — The geraniums cut down in July, will now 
be pushing forth a number of young shoots ; these must be en- 
couraged as much as possible, by keeping the plants in a shel- 
tered place, and duly supplying them with moisture. When 
the shoots have grown two or three joints, they should be stop- 
ped by picking out the points, in order to render them bushy. 
The cuttings made at the same period will now be fit for potting ; 
put each one separately into a small pot, and treat them as the 
older plants. Young plants of myrtles, and indeed all others that 
are properly rooted, should receive similar treatment. Cinera- 
rias are among the most useful of spring-flowering plants, and 
if a few seedlings can be obtained now, they will make nice 
plants, with the treatment recommended fjr geraniums. Cycla- 
men, Guernsey, or Bella-donna lilies, and Lachenalias should be 
repotted ; the first and last are very handsome spring-flowering 
plants, and the lilies are exceedingly beautiful through October 
and November; all of them are of reasonable price, and well 
worth adding to the usual stock of window plants. Fill a few 
pots with fibrous loam, and sprinkle them over with mignonette, 
nemophiila insignis, and intermediate stocks; leave the pots in 
the open air, and thin the plants to about three or four of the 
strongest, as soon as they can be handled. Pot oflT china prim- 
roses, putting one plant into each three-inch pot. Encourage 
the chrysanthemums in pots with alternate applications of ma- 
nure water, repot the strongest, and allow them all plenty of 
room, or the leaves are liable to injury. Set all plants as they 
grow out of flower in the sun, to ripen their wood, but do not 
let them suflur from drought. 



735. October, — The principal endeavor among this class of 
plants must now be directed towards getting them into a state 
of rest ; water very cautiously, giving air whenever the weather 
will permit, and at all times let them enjoy whatever sunshino 



183 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

occurs, and uninterrupted light. Now that the respiring powef 
of the leaves becoriies lessened, it is most essential that every 
particle of dust be carefully removed; the surface of the soil in 
which they grow should be occasionally stirred, to keep it clean 
and porous, and even the outside of the pots should be washed, 
for the same end. If it be necessary to stand the pots in sau- 
cers, when the plants are watered, the waste which runs through 
should be regularly emptied away, as much mischief ensues 
from allowing the roots to remain in the water. 

736. Novemher, — The directions given last month must be 
closely observed throughout the remainder of the year. The 
great object being to keep the majority of the plants in a rest- 
ing condition, that they may start the more vigorously on the 
return of genial weather. Winter, or early spring-flowering 
plants, such as violets, China primroses, cyclamen, and roses, 
are, however, to be excepted from this rule ; they are now in 
an active state, and must be encouraged accordingly. As soon 
as hyacinths and other bulbs, placed in pots last month, have 
become pretty well rooted, they may be brought into the win- 
dow, and being placed near the light, will grow rapidly ; those 
in glasses should have the wateF changed once or twice a week. 
Chrysanthemums in pots require plenty of water while in 
bloom, and when their beauty declines, the plants should be 
taken to a warm part of the garden, or placed in a light shed, 

to complete their maturity. 
\ ' 

737. December, — If the geraniums or other plants taken from 
the borders in autumn, exhibit signs of rottenness, remove the 
decaying parts, and dust the wounds with quick-lime or sul- 
phur, keep them comparatively dry and as much exposed to 
the sun as possible; air is essential w^henever it can be admit- 
ted. Remember previous directions regarding the employ- 
ment of pans ; they are a most fatal source of disease and death 
"when left with water in them. Water sparingly, keep the 
leaves clean, and wait patiently. Flowering plants must still 
form the exception, as mentioned last month. 



738. To manage ft Watch, — J'irst : Wind your watch as 
nearly as possible at the same hour every day. Secondly : Be 
careful that your key is in good condition, as there is much 
danger of injuring the machine when the key is worn or cracked ; 



HOME PURSUITS AND DOMESTIC ARTS. 187 

there are more mainsprings and chains broken through a jerk 
in winding, than from any other cause, which injury will, 
sooner or later, be the result, if the key be in bad order. 
Thirdly : As all metals contract by cold, and expand by heat, 
it must be manifest, that to keep the watch as nearly as possi- 
ble at one temperature, is a necessary piece of attention. 
Fourthly : Keep the watch as constantly as possible in one po- 
sition — that is, if it hangs by day, let it hang by night against 
something sofc. Fifthly : the hands of a pocket-chronometer 
or duplex watch, should never be set backwards ; in other 
watches this is a matter of no consequence. Sixthly : The glass 
should never be opened in watches that set and regulate at the 
back. One or two other directions more, it is of vital import- 
ance that you bear in mind. On regulating a watch, should it 
be flist, move the regulator a trifle towards the slow, and if 
going slow, do the reverse ; you cannot move the regulator too 
slightly or too gently at a time, and the only inconvenience that 
can arise is, that you nuiy have to perform the duty more than 
once. On the contrary, if you move the regulator too much at 
a time you will be as far, if not farther than ever, from attain- 
ing your object; so that you may repeat the movement until 
quite tired and disappointed — stoutly blaming both watch and 
watch-maker, while the fault is entirely your own. Again, you 
cannot be too careful in respect of the nature and condition of 
your watch-pocket; see that it be made of some material that 
is soft and pliant — such as wash-leather, which is the best; and, 
also, that there be no flue or nap that may be torn off when 
taking the watch out of the pocket. Cleanliness, too, is as 
needful here as in the key before winding ; for if there be dust 
or dirt in either instance, it will, you njay rely upon it, work 
its way into the watch, as well as weai' away the engine turning 
of the case. 



PAKT IV. 

DOMESTIC ECONOMY, AND OTHER MATTERS WORTH 
KNOWING. 

Of tlie different kinds of Tea^ Coffee, d'c. — Preserving Fruits^ 
Flowers^ c&c. — Care of Fires — and other Mints, 

TEAS. 

739. — The names of the different kinds of tea, relate to the 
time of their being gathered, or to some peculiarity in their 
manufacture. It is a general rule, that all tea is fine in pro- 
portion to the tendeirness and immaturity of the leaves. The 
quality and value of the different kinds diminish as they are 
gathered later in the season. 

Black Teas. — As soon as the leaf-bud begins to expand, 
It* is gathered to make Fekoe. A few days* later growth pro- 
duces black-leaved Pekoe. The next picking is called Souchong ; 
as the leaves grow larger and more mature, they form Congou ; 
and the last picking is Bohea, 

Boh^a is called by the Chinese, Ta-cha (large tea), on account 
of the maturity and size of the leaves; it contains a larger pro- 
portion of woody fibre than other teas, and its infusion is of a 
darker color and coarser flavor. 

Congou^ the next higher kind, is named from a corruption 
of the Chinese Koongfoa (great care, or assiduity). This forms 
the bulk of the black tea imported, and is mostly valued for 
its strength. 

Souchong — Seaou-choong (small, scarce sort), is the finest of 
the stronger black tea, with a leaf that is generally entire and 
curly. It is much esteemed for its fragrance and fine flavor. 

Pekoe is a corruption of the Canton name, Pak-ho (white 



DOMESTIC ECONOMY, ETC, 189 

down),. being the first sprouts of the leaf-buds; they are covered 
with a white silky down. It is a delicate tea, rather deficient 
in strength, and is principally used for flavoring other teas. 

740. Green Teas. — The following are the principal kinds: 
Twankay^ Hyson- Skin^ Hyson, Gunpowder, and Young Hyson, 

Young Hyson is a delicate young leaf, called in the original 
language, Yu-tsien (before the rains), because gathered in the 
early spring. 

Hyson, from the Chinese word He-tchune, which means, 
flourishing spring. This fine tea is gathered early in the season, 
and prepared with great care and labor. Each leaf is picked 
separately, and nipped off above the footstalk, and every sepa- 
rate leaf is rolled in the hand. It is much esteemed for its 
flavor. 

Gunpowder Tea is only Hyson rolled and rounded, to give it 
the granular appearance whence it derives its name. The Chi- 
nese call it Choo-cha (pearl tea). 

Hyson-Skin is so named from the Chinese term, in which 
connection skin means the refuse, or inferior portion. In pre- 
paring Hyson, all leaves that are of a coarse yellow, or imper- 
fectly twisted appearance, are separated, and sold as skin-tea^ 
at an inferior price. 

Twankay is the last picking of green tea, and the leaf is not 
rolled or twisted as much as the dearer descriptions. There is 
altogether less trouble bestowed on the preparation. 



COFFEE. 

741. — The infusion or decoction of the roasted seeds of the 
coflTee-berry, when not too strong, is a wholesome, exhilarating, 
and strengthening beverage; and, when mixed with a large 
proportion of milk, is a proper article of diet for literary and 
sedentary people. It is especially suited to persons advanced 
in years. People who are bilious and liable to costiveness, 
should abstain from it. When drank very strong, it proves 
stimulating and heating in a considerable degree, creating thirst 
and producing watchfulness. By an abusive indulgence in this 
drink, the organs of digestion are impaired, the appetite is de- 
troyed, nutrition is impeded, and emaciation, general debility^ 
paialytic affections, and nervous ii^^^^r^ are brought on. 



190 MRS. halb's receipts for the milliox. 

742. Proper method of making Toast and Water, and t?€4 
advantages resulting therefrom, — Take a slice of fine and stale 
loaf-bread, cut very thin — as thin as toast is ever cut — and let 
it be carefully toasted on both sides, until it be completelg 
browned all over, but nowise blackened or burned in any way. 
Put this into a common deep stone or china jug, and pour over 
it, from the tea-kettle, as much clean boiling wjjter as you wish 
to make into drink. Much depends on the water being actually 
in a boiling state. Cover the jug with a saucer or plate, and 
let the drink cool until it be quite cold ; it is then fit to be used. 
The fresher it is made the better, and of course the more agree- 
able. The above will be found a pleasant, light, and highly- 
diuretic drink. It is peculiarly grateful to the stomach, and 
excellent for carrying off the effects of any excess in drinking. 
It is also a most excellent drink at meals, and may be used in 
the summer-time, if more agreeable to the drinker. 



743. Baked Milk, — Put half a gallon of milk into ajar, and 
tie it down with writing-paper. Let it stand in a moderately 
warm oven about eight or ten hours. It will then be of the 
consistence of cream. It is used by persons who are weak or 
consumptive. 



744. Substitute for Cream, in Tea or Coffee, — Beat the white 
of an egg to a froth, put to it a very small lump of butter, and 
^mix well. Then turn the coffee to it gradually, so that it may 
not curdle. If perfectly done, it will be an excellent substitute 
for cream. For tea, omit the butter, using only the e^gg. This 
might be of great use at sea, as eggs can be preserved fresh in 
various ways. 



745. Economical use of Nutmegs, — If a person begin to grate 
a nutmeg at the stalk end, it will prove hollow throughout ; 
whereas the same nutmeg, grated from the other end, would 
have proved sound and solid to the last. This circumstance 
may thus be accounted for : — The centre of a nutmeg consists 
of a number of fibres issuing from the stalk, and its continuation 
through the centre of the fruit ; the other ends of which fibres, 
though closely surrounded and pressed by the fruit, do not ad- 
here to it. When the stalk is grated away, those fibres, having 
lost their hold, gradually drop out, and the nutmeg appears 
hollow : as more of the stalk is grated away, others drop out 



DOMESTIC ECONOMY, ETC. 191 

In succession, and the hollow continues through the whole nut. 
By beginning at the contrary end, the fibres above-mentioned 
are grated off at their core end, with the surrounding fruit, and 
do not drop out and cause a hole. 



746. To ascertain the quality of Nutmegs, — Oil of nutmegg 
being of great value, it is often extracted from the nuts which 
are exposed to sale, and which are thereby rendered of \Qvy 
little value. To ascertain the quality of nutmegs, force a pin 
into them; and if good, however dry they may appear, the oil 
will be seen oozing out all round the pin. 

747. Essence of Nutmeg — Is made by dissolving one ounce 
of the essential oil in a pint of rectified spirits. It is an expen- 
sive but invaluable mode of flavoring, in the arts of the cook 
or confectioner. 



748. To make Essence of Celery. — Soak for a fortnight half 
an ounce of the seeds of celery in one gill of brandy. A few 
drops will flavor a pint of soup or broth equal to a head of 
celery. 

749. Tincture of Lemon-peel. — Fill a wide-mouthed pint bottle 
half full of brandy ; when a lemon is used, pare off the rind 
very thin, and put it into the brandy. In two weeks the spirit 
will be strongly impregnated with the flavor of the lemon. 

750. To test the purity of Spirits. — See if the liquor will 
burn away entirely :. or, place a hollow ivory-ball in it; the 
deeper the ball sinks, the lighter the liquor, and consequently 
more spirituous. 



751. To purify Olive Oil. — Turn the oil into a crock or bottle, 
and pour in a quantity of pure water; shake the vessel vigor- 
ously, and let it stand two hours. The mucilaginous matter 
which is the cause of rancidity, will be separated from the oil, 
and remain in the water. The oil can be decanted, and re- 
bottled for use. 



752. To preserve Eggs. — The most simple and easy mode of 
preserving eggs, is to rub the outside of the shell, as soon as 
gathered from the nest, with a little butter, or any other grease 



3 92 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

that is not fetid. By filling up the pores of the shell, the evap- 
oration of the liquid part of the egg is prevented ; and either 
by that means, or by excluding the external air, which Four- 
croy supposes destroys the milkiness which most people are 
fond of in new-laid eggs, that milkiness will be preserved for 
months, as perfect as when the egg was taken from the nest. 



753. Cream preserved in Long Voyages, — Mix with a quantity 
of fresh rich cream half its weight of vrbite sugar in powder ; 
stir the w^hole well together, and preserve it in bottles well 
corked. In this state it is ready to mix with tea or coffee, and 
has continued in good condition during a voyage to America. 

754. To preserve Hazel Nuts in great perfection for many 
months, — Hazel nuts may be kept a long time in full kernel by 
burying them in earthen pots, w^ell closed, a foot or two in the 
ground. They keep best in gravelly or sandy places. • 

755. JEasy Method of 2yreserving Animal Food. — Fresh meat 
may be kept for nine or ten days perfectly sweet and good, in 
the heat of summer, by lightly covering the same w^ith bran, 
and hanging it in a high and windy room ; a cupboard full of 
small holes, or a wire safe, is recommended to be placed in 
such a room, to keep away the flies. . 

• 756. To purify Lemon-juice, — Add one ounce of pulverized, 
well burnt charcoal, to a quart of lemon-juice ; after standing 
twelve hours, filter the juice through white blotting-paper ; it 
will keep good several years in a cellar, in a bottle, well 
corked ; a thick crust will form beneath the cork, and the mu- 
cilage w^ill fall to the bottom. 



757. To detect Copper in Liquids, — Spirit of hartshorn mixed 
with them, turns them blue. Therefore tea is not dried on cop- 
per, as an infusion of it is not turned blue by thft mixture. 
Cider, being passed through brass pots, is detected by this ex- 
periment. — Dr, Mayes'' Lectures, 

758. To detect the Mixture of Arsenic, — A solution of blue 
vitriol droppqd into any liquid in which arsenic has been put, 
will turn it green. 



DOMESTIC ECONOMY, ETC. 193 

759. To test Mushrooms. — ^Rub the upper skin with a gold 
ring or any piece of gold : the part rubbed will turn yellow if 
it IS db poisonous fungus, 

760. To prepare Salt, — Set a lump of salt in a plate before 
the fire, and when dry, pound it in a mortar, or rub two pieces 
of salt together; it will then be free from lumps, and in very 
fine powder. 

761. To make Cheap and Good Vinegar. — To eight gallons 
of clear rain water, add three quarts of molasses ; turn the mix- 
ture into a clean tight cask, shake it well two or three times, 
and add three spoonsful of good yeast, or two yeast cakes. 
Place the cask in a warm place, and in ten or fifteen days, add 
a sheet of common wrapping-paper, smeared with molasses, and 
torn into narrow strips, and you will have good vinegar. Th© 
paper is necessary to form the " mother," or life of the liquor. 



762. To prevent Mouldiness. — The best preventive is any ot 
the essential oils, as the oil of lavender, cloves, peppermint, &c. 
Russia leather, which is scented with the tar of the birch-tree, 
is not subject to mouldiness, and books bound in it will even 
prevent mouldiness in other books bound in calf, near which 
they happen to lie. 

Aromatic seeds are not subject to mould, and gingerbread, 
or cakes containing caraway seeds are far less liable to mould i- 
ness than plain bread. Children have been poisoned by eating 
mouldy bread. 

763. To keep Fruits. — To preserve fruits, you must keep 
them in a room rather above the ground floor, sheltered alike 
from the sun and damp ; it is even prudent, in order to avoid 
opening the windows, to let out the humid exhalations of the 
ff uit, to have a stove in the room, and light a fire in it now and 
then. The decaying fruit should be carefully removed. Cher- 
ries, grapes, &;c., are kept sound by hanging them to threads, 
and then inclosing them in new boxes or barrels ; these are 
closed as tightly as possible, and deposited in a dry place. 
Some preserve them by laying them in sawdust or bran. 

764. To preserve Airples. — Dry a glazed jar perfectly well, 
put a few pebbles in the bottom ; fill the jar with apples, and 

13 



194 MBS. bale's eeceipts for the ahllion. 

cover it with a bit of wood made to fit exactly ; and over that, 
put a little fresh mortar. The pebbles attract the damp of the 
apples. The mortar draws the air from the jar, and leaves the 
apples free from its pressure, which, together with the principle 
of putrefaction which the air contains, are the causes of decay. 
Apples, kept thus, have been found quite sound, fair, and juicy, 
in July. 

765. To keep Potatoes from frost. — If you have not a conve- 
nient store-place for them, dig a trench three or four feet deep, 
into which they are to be laid as they are taken up, and then 
covered with the earth taken out of the trench, raised up in the 
middle like the roof of a house, and covered with straw, to 
carry off the rain. They will be thus preserved from the frosty 

and can be taken up as they are wanted. 

*• 

766. To dry Corn for winter use. — Sweet corn is the best. 
Husk it.. Have a pot of boiling water — put in your corn and 
let it boir three minutes — then cut it from the cobs and put it 
in pans in a warm oven. It must be stirred frequently ; when 
perfectly dry put it away in bags. When wanted for use, soak 
it all night, next day boil it an hour with a little salt; before it 
is dished stir in flour, pepper, and butter. 



767, To preserve Aromatic and other Herbs. — The boxes and 
drawers in which vegetable matters are kept should not impart 

wto them any smell or taste ; and more certainly to avoid this, 
they should be lined with paper. Such as are volatile, of a 
delicate texture, or subject to suffer from insects, must be kept 
in well covered glasses. Fruits and oily seeds, which are apt 
to become rancid, must be kept in a cool and dry, but by no 
means in a warm or moist place. 

768, To dry Herbs. — Dry the gathered crop, thinly spread 
out, and shaded from the sun ; tie the herbs in small bundles, 
and keep them compactly pressed down and covered with white 
paper. Or, after drying them, put each sort into a small box, 
and by means of boards, of the size of the interior length and 
width of the box, and a "Screw-press, press the herbs into cakes, 
or little trusses. These should be afterwards carefully wrapped 
up in paper, and be kept in a dry place, when they will retain 
their aroma as perfectly as when they were put into tne press, 



DOMESTIC ECONOMY, ETC. 195 

for, at least, three years. By the common mode of hanging up 
herbs in loose bundles, the odor soon escapes. 

769. To dry Chamomile Flowers, — Pull them, from time to 
time, as they are produced ; for the plants continue to blossom 
in succession for several months. When gathered, dry them 
gradually, partly in the sun, and partly in the Lhade, by being 
spread upon a mat or sheet, removed out of the sun in the heat 
of the day, and placed in it mornings and evenings. 

Lavender Flowers should also be dried as chamomiles. 

Marigold Flowers^ dried, improve broths and soups, however 
much they may have got into disuse. 



770. Winter Herbs, — The best time for gathering herbs for 
winter use is when they are in blossom. If left till they are in 
seed, the strength goes to the seed. They are best picked 
from the stocks, dried quickly (but not burnt), before the fire, 
and rubbed into powder, then bottled. 



771. Galvanism a Protector of Trees. — A German journal 
states that the application of galvanism has been made in Aus- 
tria for preserving trees and plants from the ravages of insects. 
The process is very simple, consisting only in placing two 
rings, one of copper, the other of zinc, attached together, around 
the tree or plant. Any insect that touches the copper receives 
an electric shock, which kills it or causes it to fall to' the 
ground. 

772. Moss on Trees, — The following is an excellent applica- 
tion to the scraped trunk to prevent the growth of moss, and 
destroy eggs of insects. One gallon of soft soap, one pound 
of flour of sulphur, and one quart of salt, to be well stirred to- 
gether and put on with a hard brush. 



773. To destroy Caterpillars in Gooseberry Trees, — Gather dust 
from any turnpike road, and shake it well among the trees, and 
the caterpillars will immediately fall to the ground. It is an 

^ excellent plan to dust the trees twice or three times a week, as 
it will effectually prevent the lodgment of caterpillars. 

774. A neat method of Grafting, — Prepare the stock and the 
graft in the same way as for grafting with clay in the common 



196 3IRS. bale's receipts for the million, 

way. Then take a long slip of India-rubber, three-quarters of 
an inch broad, and about the thickness of a shilling. Tie one 
end of this elastic riband with a thread, well prepared by rub- 
bing with shoemakers' wax, to the stock, a little below where 
it is cut for being joined to the graft ; then make the joint as 
neatly as possible, and wrap it round with the riband, taking 
due care to keep the India-rubber fully stretched, and to make 
it overlap at each turn fully one-half of the breadth of the pre- 
vious round, till the whole is covered, then tie the top with a 
thread in the same manner as at the bottom, and the operation 
is finished. After grafting the trees in the manner described, 
nothing is done to them till they are completely set, when the 
India-rubber slips are taken off to be ready again for the next 
year. When opened up, there is scarcely any appearance of a 
ioint, and altogether they are much neater than when done with 
clay. 



775. To Kill Vermin on Plants. — Tobacco water is much 
used for the above purposes ; it is made by pouring a gallon 
of boiling water upon a pound of tobacco leaves, and straining 
it in twenty minutes. 

Or, syringe the plants with this mixture : put into a jar five 
gallons of spring water and four ounces of chloride of lime, to 
which add four ounces of vitriol ; when the lime is precipitated, 
pour off the clear solution, and keep it air-tight. 

Or, mix coal tar and water, and sprinkle it over the infected 
'^ plants. 



776. To Propagate Plants. — It may be received as a general 
principle, that all plants which produce shoots may be propa- 
gated by cuttings ; though some plants are much more difficult 
to propagate in this manner than others. Generally speaking, 
all the soft-wooded plants which have abundance of sap, such 
as geraniums, fuchsias, petunias, and verbenas, strike root 
readily. The usual mode for striking cuttings is to put them 
in fine sand, and to cover them with a bell-glass. Some cut- 
tings which are difficult to strike are directed to have bottom 
heat; that is, the pots in which they are planted should be 
plunged into a hot-bed, that the stimulus afforded by the heat 
may induce the cuttings to throw out roots. 



DOMESTIC ECONOMY, ETC. 197 

777. Plants watered hy being placed in Dishes^ improper, — The 
practice of placing flats or saucers under plants, and feeding 
them by the roots, that is, pouring the \vater continually into 
these dishes, and never on the earth at top, is highly improper. 
The water should always be poured on the surface of the earth, 
that it may filter completely through it, to the benefit and re- 
freshment of the fibres. 



778. When to plant Annual and Perennial Flowers, — Many 
kinds of annuals and perennials, sown in March and the begin- 
ning of April, will be fit for transplanting about the end of 
May, and may either be planted in patches about borders, or 
in beds, as fancy shall direct. Of these, the kinds improved by 
transplanting are, amaranthuses, China asters, columbines, 
French and African marigolds, fox-gloves, hollyhocks, In- 
dia pinks, love-lies-bleeding, mallows, mignonette, prince's 
feather, scabious, stocks, sun-flowers, sweet-williams, wall- 
flowers, and others. They should be planted out in a showery 
time, if possible, or otherwise be frequently watered, till they 
have struck root. 



779. To preserve Flower Seeds, — Those who . are curious 
about saving flower-seeds must attend to them in the month of 
August. Many kinds will begin to ripen apace, and should be 
carefully sticked and supported, to prevent them from being 
shaken by high winds, and so partly lost. Others should be 
defended from much w^et; such as asters, marigolds, and gen- 
erally those of the class Syngenesia ; as from the construction 
of their flowers they are apt to rot, and the seeds to mould, in 
bad seasons. Whenever they are thought ripe, or indeed any 
others, in wet weather, they should be removed to an airy 
shed or loft, gradually dried, and rubbed or beat out at con- 
veniency, ^ 

780. Fasy Method of discovering whether or not Seeds are suf- 
ficiently ripe, — Seeds, when not sufficiently ripe, will swim, but 
when arrived at full maturity, they will be found uniformly to 
fall to the bottom ; a fact that is said to hold equally true of 
ftl] seeds, from the cocoa-nut to the orchis. 



198 MRS. HALB's RECIIPTS FOR THB MILLION. 



HINTS TO FAEMERS. 

781. There are some things that all farmers ought to know. 

Sheep put into fresh stubble are apt to be killed by eating 
too much grain. 

A bare pasture enriches not the soil, nor fattens the animals, 
nor increases the wealth of the owner. 

One animal well fed is of more value than two poorly kept. 

The better animals can be fed, and the more comfortable they 
can be kept, the more profitable they are — and all farmers work 
for profit. 

Ground once well plowed is better than thrice poorly. 

Bountiful crops are more profitable than poor ones. Make 
the soil rich, pulverize it well, and keep it clean, and it gen- 
erally will be productive. 

Weeds that grow unmolested around the fences, stumps, and 
stones, scatter their seeds over the farm, and are vei^ likely to 
increase. 

Cows well fed in winter give more milk in summer. An ox 
that is in good condition in the spring, will perform more 
labor, and stand the heat of summer much better than one that 
is poor. 

When you see the fence down, put it up : if it remains until 
to-morrow, the cattle may get over. 

What ought to be done to-day, do it; for to-morrow it may 
rain. 

A strong horse will work all day without food, but keep him 
at it, and he will not last long. 

A rich soil will produce good crops without manure, but 
keep it at it, and it will tire. 

Farmers' sons had better learn to hold the plow, and feed 
the pigs, than measure tape and count buttons. 

Young ladies who have the good fortune to become farmers' 
wives will find it more profitable to know how fo make Johnny- 
cake, butter, and cheese, than to play on the piano. 

All who wish to be rich, must spend less than they earn. 



MANAGEMENT OF A HORSE. 

782. When a horse is brought in hot, loosen the girth, and 
allow the saddle to remain on for five minutes. Let him be 



DdMEflTIC ECGNOMT, ETC. 199 

walked about in summer, and, in the winter, be put directly 

in the stable. 

A horse should not be permitted to drink cold water, whilst 
w^arm ; neither should the legs or feet of a horse be washed, 
until he gets cold. 

Horses prefer soft water, and it is best for them. If the 
water be very hard and brackish, put a small piece of chalk 
into a pail of water, some time before it is given to the horse. 

Fourteen pounds of hay in one day, or one hundred pounds 
a week, with three feeds of corn a day, are sufficient for a horse 
that is not over-worked. 

In^ travelling, after the principal feed, let a horse have not 
less than two hours' rest, that his food may have time to digest. 

After a hard day's work, give a horse about two gallons of 
gruel, made with a quart of oatmeal, half a gallon of ale, half 
a quartern of brandy, and the proper quantity of water. Wet- 
ted bran may be given advantageously to lean horses. 

783. To dress a Horse, — On entering the stable, first give him 
about a gallon of clean water in a clean pail ; then shake up 
the best litter under the manger, sweep out the stall, and clean 
out the stable. 

Whilst the horse is feeding, dress him : first, curry him all 
over with the currycomb, to loosen the dirt and dust on his 
skin ; then remove the dust with a whalebone brush ; next, 
smooth and cleanse the coat with a wisp of straw ; and again 
use the brush and currycomb, to take off what dust may remain ; 
after which, whisk him again with a damp lock of hay ; and, 
finally, rub him down with a woollen or linen cloth. 

Then turn round the horse in the stall, brush his head well, 
and wisp it clean and smooth with a damp lock of hay. Then 
wipe the dust and filth from the inside of the ears with a damp 
sponge, and draw the ears through the hands for a few minutes, 
until they are warm. Wash out the sponge, and with it cleanse 
the dust, (Sec, from the eyes ; sponge the nostrils, and then rub 
the whole head with a cloth, in the same manner as the body. 

Next, turn the horse round into his proper situation, put on 
the head-stall, and with a sponge wash the dirt and filth from 
under the tail. Then, clean and lay the mane with a comb and 
water-brush, used alternately with both hands ; again wipe over 
the head and body, put on the body-clothes, and fasten them 
with a surcingle. 



200 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

Examine the heels, pick out the dirt from the feet, and wash 
the heels with a brush and plenty of water. If the horse has 
bad feet, they should be dressed and stuffed. 

lastly, shake hay into the rack ; and then the horse will be 
completely dressed. 

784. Horse Flies. — To prevent horses being teased with flies, 
take two or three small handfuls of walnut leaves, upon which 
pour two or three quarts of soft cold water ; let it infuse one 
night ; pour the whole next morning into a kettle, and let it 
boil for a quarter of an hour : when cold, it will be ready for 
use. Nothing more is required than to moisten a sponge 'with 
the liquid, and, before the horse goes out of the stable, let those 
parts which are most irritable be smeared over with the liquor, 
namely, between and upon the ears, the flank, &c. 

785. To milk Cows, — A cow should be milked clean. Not 
a drop, if it can be avoided, should be left in the udder. It 
has-been proved that the half-pint that comes out last^ has 
twelve times, I think it is, as much butter in it, as the half-pilit 
that comes out JlrsL The udder would seem to be a sort of 
milk-pan, in which the cream is uppermost, and, of course, comes 
out last, seeing that the outlet is at the bottom. But, besides 
this, if you do not milk clean, the cow will give less and less 
milk, and will become dry much sooner than she ought. — • 
Cobbett 



EAISING POULTRY. 

786. There is scarcely any branch of farming operations more 
productive than the raising of poultry for market ; and yet, 
with a large majority of our agriculturists, it is considered of 
but little account. The proximity to a great market, and the 
facilities for reaching it possessed by many of our farmers in 
this country, should make the rearing of poultry an object of 
attention. 



787. To fatten Poultry. — Poultry should be fattened in coops, 
and kept very clean. They should be furnished with gravel, 
but with no w^ater. Their only food, barley-meal, mixed so 
thin with water, as to serve them for drink. Their thirst makes 
them eat more than they would, in order to extract the water 



DOMESTIC ECONOMY, ETC.- 201 

that is among the food. This should not be put in troughs 
but laid upon a board, which should be clean washed every 
time fresh food is put upon it. It is foul and heated water 
which is the sole cause of the pip. 

788. Method of expeditiously fattening ChicJcens, — Take, for 
that purpose, a quantity of rice, and grind or pound it into a 
fine flour ; mix sufficient for present use with milk and a little 
coarse sugar; stir the whole well over the fire, till it makes a 
thick paste ; and feed the chickens, in the day-time only, by 
putting as much of it as they can eat, but no more, into the 
troughs belonging to their coops. It must be eaten while warm ; 
and, if they have also beer to drink, they will soon grow very 
fat. A mixture of oatmeal and treacle, combined till it crum- 
bles,' is said to form a food for chickens, of which they are so 
fond, and with which they thrive so rapidly, that at the end of 
two months they become as large as the generality of full-grown 
fowls fed in the common way. 

789. Method of fattening Geese and Ducks, — Geese, the more 
quiet and undisturbed they are kept, the faster and better they 
fatten. Put young geese into a place that is almost dark ; feed 
them with ground malt mixed with milk, and they will very 
soon, and at very little expense, be fit to kill. 

Another way is cheaper still : — Mix barley-meal, pretty thick, 
with water, which they must constantly have by them, to eat^ 
i s they choose ; in another part of the shed where they are, 
keep a pan with some boiled oats and water, for them to resort 
to when they are inclined to change their food. This variety 
is agreeable to them, and they thrive apace, being so fattened 
at less expense than in any other manner. 

790. Cobbetfs method of fattening Geese, — Geese are raised 
by grazing : but, to fat them, something more is required. 
Corn of some sort, or boiled Swedish turnips, or carrots, or 
white cabbages, or lettuces, make the best fatting. The modes 
that are resorted to by the French for fatting geese, are, I hope, 
such as Englishmen will never think of. He who can deliber- 
ately inflict torture upon an animal, in order to heighten the 
pleasure his palate is to receive in eating it, is an abuser of the 
authority which God has given him, and is, indeed, a tyrant in 
his heart. Who would think himself safe, if at the mercy of 
vuch a man ? 



202 MRS. H alb's RBCIIPTS FOR THl MILLION. 

791. Swedish method of raising Turkeys, — As soon as the 
young turkeys leave the shell, they are made to swallow one 
or two pepper-corns, and returned to their mother. They are 
afterwards fed with crlimbs of bread and milk, and with com- 
mon dock-leaves, chopped small, and mixed with fresh butter- 
milk, and kept in a warm place or sunshine, and guarded from 
the rain or from running among nettles. 

Nothing, however, is more useful for them than the common 
garden pepper-cress, or cut-leaved cress. They are very fond 
of it ; and, supplied with as much of it as they will eat, they 
will not be delicate in their other food. 



792. To fatten Turkeys as they do in Norfolk, — The quality 
and size of the Norfolk turkeys are superior to those of any 
other part of England. They are fed almost entirely with 
buckwheat ; and give them with it boiled oats, boiled malt, or 
boiled barley, and sometimes, for change, even boiled wheat 
and water. 



793. To fatten Ducks, — Feed them with the same food as 
the turkeys or geese, and let them have a pan of water to 
dabble in. 



794. To make Hens lay perpetually , — Hens will lay perpetu- 
ally, if treated in the following manner:— Keep no roosters 
(cocks) : give the hens fresh meat, chopped up like sausage- 
meat, once a day ; a very small portion, say half an ounce a day 
to each hen, during the winter, or from the time insects disap- 
pear in the full till they appear again in the spring. Never 
allow any eggs to remain in the nest for what are called " nest 
eggs." When the roosters do not run with the hens, and no 
nest eggs are left in the nest, the hens will not cease laying 
after the production of twelve or fifteen eggs, as they always do 
when roosters and nest eggs are allowed ; but continue laying 
perpetually. The only reason why hens do not lay in winter 
as freely as in summer, is the want of animal food, which they 
get in summer in abundance, in the form of insects. 



DOMESTIC ECONOMY, ETC. 208 



HDTTS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF HUMAN LIFE FROM FIRE. 

795. Cautions, — Sweep chimneys regularly; sweep fre- 
quently the lower part of the chimney wdthin reach ; the kitcheu 
chimney should be swept once a month. 

796. Fires in Chimneys, — When a chimney or flue is on fire, 
throw into the fire-place handfuls of flour of sulphur, which will 
destroy the flame. Or, apply a wet blanket, or old carpet, to 
the throat of the chimney, or over the front of the fire-place. 
A chimney -board, or register-flap, will answer the same pur 
pose, by stopping the draught of air from below. 

Beware of lights near combustibles; of children near fires 
and lights ; and do not trust them with candles. Do not leave 
olothes to dry by the fire unwatched, either day or night ; do 
not leave the poker in the fire ; see that all be safe before you 
retire to rest. 



797. Persons in Danger, — When a fire happens, put it out in 
its earliest stage ; if suflered to extend itself, give the alarm. 
Beware of opening doors, &c., to increase the fire by fresh air. 
Muster the whole family, see that none are missing. First save 
lives, then property. Think of the ways of escape; by the 
stairs, if no better way — creep along a room where the fire is, 
and creep down stairs backwards on hands and knees — (heated 
air ascends) ; come down stairs with a pillow before your 
face, and a wet blanket round the body, and hold your breath * 
or try the roof of the adjoining house. Throw out of the win- 
dow a feather bed, to leap upon in the last extremity — fasten 
fire-escapes to the bed-posts first— send children down by the 
sack fastened to a rope, taking care of the iron spikes and area ; 
then lower yourselves. 

798. Means of Extinction. — The safety of the inmates being 
ascertained, the first object at a fire should be the exclusion of 
all fresh and the confinement of all burnt air — suffocate the 
flames — an^ remember that burnt air is as great, if not a greater 
enemy to fire than water. For both purposes, of excluding the 
one air, and confining the other, all openings should be kept as 
carefully closed as possible. The prevailing practice of break- 
ing windows is peculiarly mischievous. The only excuse for 
this is the admission of water ; but if the firemen were provided 



204 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

with self supporting ladders, (that need not lean against the 
wall,) they might direct the water-hose through a single broken 
pane, with ten times more accuracy than by their random 
squirting from the street. Water should be* made to beat out 
the fire by its impetus ; sprinkling is useless. 



7^9. Neighbors and Spectators, — When a fire happens, lei 

every respectabte neighbor attend. Send instantly for engines, 
both of the parish and of the insurance companies, and the par- 
ish and other ladder and fire-escapes. Look for the nearest fire- 
plug — send instantly for policemen, and see they attend, and 
are active. 



800. Method of escape from Fire. — The following simple ma- 
chine ought always to be kept in an upper apartment. It is 
nothing more tha.i a shilling or eighteen-penny rope, one end 
of which should always be made fast to something in the cham- 
ber, and at the other end should be a noose to let down chil- 
dren or infirm persons, in case of fire. Along the rope there 
should be several knots, to serve as resting places for the hands 
and feet of the person who drops down by it. No family oc- 
cupying high houses should ever be without a contrivance of 
this kind. 



801. To mahe Water more efficacious in extinguishing Fires, — 
Throw into a pump, which contains fifty or sixty buckets of 
water, eight or ten pounds of salt or pearlashes, and the water 
thus impregnated will wonderfully accelerate the extinction of 
the most furious conflagration. Muddy water is better than 
clear, and can be obtained when salt and ashes cannot. 



802. To extinguish Fires speedily. — Much mischief arises from 
want of a little presence of mind on these alarming occasions. 
^ small quantity of water, well and immediately applied, will 
frequently obviate great danger. The moment an alarm of fire 
is given, wet some blankets well in a bucket of water, and 
spread them upon the h r of the room where the fire is, and 
afterwards beat out the other flames with a blanket thus wet. 
Two or three buckets of water thus used early, will answer 
better than hundreds applied at a later -period. Linen thus 
w<^,t will be useful, but will not answer so well as w^oollen. 



DOMESTIC ECONOMY, ETC. 205 

803. To escape from or go into a House on fire, — Creep oi 
crawl with your face near the ground, and, although the room 
be full of smoke to suffocation, yet near the floor the air is 
pure, and may be breathed with safety. The best escape from 
upper windows is by a knotted rope ; but, if a leap is unavoid- 
able, then the bed should be thrown out first, or beds prepared 
for the purpose. 



804. Hints respecting Women's and Children's Clothes catch- 
ing fire. — The woman and children in every family should bo 
particularly told and shown, that flame always tends upwards; 
and, consequently, that as long as they continue erect, or in 
£gi upright posture, while their clothes are burning, the fire 
generally beginning at the lower part of the dress, the flames 
meeting additional fuel, as they rise, become more powerful 
in proportion ; whereby the neck and head, being more exposed 
than other parts to the intense and concentrated heat, must 
necessarily be most injured. In a case of this kind, where the 
sufferer happens to be alone, and cannot extinguish the flames 
by instantly throwing the clothes over the head^ and rolling or 
lying upon them, she may still avoid great agony, and save her 
life, by throwiiig herself at full-length on the floor, and rolling 
herself thereon. This method may not extinguish the flame, 
but, to a certainty, will retard its progress, prevent fatal injury 
to the neck and head, and afford opportunity for assistance ; 
and it may be more practicable than the other, to the aged and 
infirm. A carpet or hearth-rug instantly lapped round the head 
and body, is almost a certain preventive of danger. 

805. Method of rendering all sorts of Paper, Linen, and Cot-^ 
ton, less comhustihle, — This desirable object may be, in some 
degree, effected, by immersing these combustible materials in 
a strong solution of alum-water ; and, after drying them, repeat- 
ing this immersion, if necessary. Thus, neither the color nor 
the quality of the paper will be in the least affected; on the 
contrary, both will be improved : and the result of the experi- 
ment may be ascertained, by holding a slip of paper, so pre- 
pared, over a candle. * 

806. To extricate Horses from fire, — If the harness be thrown 
over a draught, or the saddle placed on the back of a saddle 
horse, they may be led out of the stable as easily as on common 



206 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

occasions. Should there be time to substitute the bridle for the 
halter, the difficulty towards saving them will be stilj^furthe* 
diminished. 



807. Method of renaering assistance to persons in danger of 
Drowning, — This desirable object appears attainable by the 
proper use of a man's hat and pocket-handkerchief, which (being 
all the apparatus necessary) is to be used' thus : — Spread the 
handkerchief on the ground, and place a hat, with the brim 
downwards, on the middle of the handkerchief; and then tie 
the handkerchief round the hat as you would tie up a bundle, 
keeping the knots as near the centre of the crown as may be. 
Now, by seizing the knots in one hand, and keeping the opening 
of the hat upwards, a person, without knowing how to swim, 
may fearlessly plunge into the water with what may be neces- 
sary to save the life of a fellow-creature. 

If a person should fall out of a boat, or the boat upset, by 
going foul of a cable, &c., or should he fall off the quays, or 
indeed fall into any water from which he could not extricate 
himself, but must wait some little time for assistance — had he 
presence of mind enough to whip off his hat, and hold it by the 
brim, placing his fingers withinside the crown, and hold it so, 
(top downwards), he would be able, by this method, to keep 
his mouth well above water till assistance should reach him. 
It often happens that danger is descried long before we are 
involved in the peril, an^ time enough to prepare the above 
method ; and a courageous person would, in seven instances 
out of ten^ apply to them with success; and travellers, in ford- 
ing rivers at unknown fords, or where shallows are deceitful, 
might make use of these methods with advantage. 

808. To prevent excessive Thirst, in cases of emergency at Sea^ 
in the summer-time, — When thirst is excessive, as is often the 
case in summer-time, during long voyages, avoid, if possible^ 
even in times of the greatest necessity^ the drinking of salt water 
to allay the thirst; but rather keep thinly clad, and frequently 
dip in the sea, which will appease both hunger and thirst for a 
long time, and prevent the disagreeable sensation of swallowing 
salt water. 



809. Best mode of avoiding the fatal Accidents of Open Car- 
riages, — Jumping out is particularly dangerous, (the motion 



, DOMESTIC ECONOMY, ETC. 207 

of the gig communicating a different one to the one you give 
yourself by jumping), which tends very much to throw you on 
your side or head. Many suppose it very easy to jump a little 
forward, and alight safe : they will not find it so on trial. The 
method of getting out behind the carriage, is the'most safe of 
any, having often tried it when the horse has been going very 
fast. Perhaps it i^ best to fix yourself firm, and remain in the 
carriage. 

810. Recovery from Suffocation^ dtc, — There are many occa- 
sions of danger, on which a person who can hold breath for a 
minute or two, may save the life of another. The best prepa- 
ration for rendering such assistance is, by breathing deep, hard, 
and quick, (as a person would do after running,) and ceasing 
with his lungs full of air; he will then find himself able to hold 
his breath more than twice as long as he would without such 
preparation. 

If in a brew^er's fermenting vat, or an opened cess-pool, one 
man sinks senseless and helpless, from breathing the foul air, 
another man of cool mind would, by the above preparation, 
have abundant time, in most cases, to descend by the ladder or 
bucket, and rescue the sufferer, without any risk to himself. 
In entering a room on fire, a knowledge of this fact may be 
useful. 

The following precautions should also be regarded. Avoid 
all unnecessary exertion ; go coolly and quietly to the spot 
where help is required ; do no more than is needful, leaving the 
rest to be done by those in a safe atmosphere. 

In case of choke damp, as in a brewer's vat, hold the head as 
high as may be : in case of a fire in the room, keep the head 
as low as possible. 

If a rope be at hand, fasten it to the person who is giving 
help, that he may be succored, if he venture too far. Many 
deaths happen in succession in cess-pools, and similar cases, foi 
want of this precaution. 

It is hardly needful to say, do not try to breathe the air of 
the place where help is required. Yet many persons fail, in 
consequence of forgetting this precaution. If the temptation to 
breathe be at all given way to, the necessiiy increases, and the 
helper himself is greatly endangered. Resist the tendency, and 
retreat in time. 

Be careful to commence giving aid with the lungs /a// of air, 



^ 



208 WHH. JfALK^S RECEIPTS FOR THK MIIJJON. 

not empty ; for tlio preparation consists chiefly in laying up fol 
the time, in the lungs, a store of that pure air which is so essen 
tial to Jife. 



81 1 . Tkundar Storras. — 'J'he safest situation during a thunder- 
storm is the c^'JJar ; for when a person is below the surface of 
the earth, the lightning must strike it before it can reach him, 
and will probably be expended on it. Dr. Franklin advisea 
persons apprehensive of lightning to sit in the middle of a room, 
not under a metal lustre, or any other conductor, and to place 
their feet upon aru^ther chair. It will be still safer, he adds, to 
lay two or three b(;ds r;r mattresses in the middle of the room, 
and to place the chairs upon them. A hamruock suspended 
with silk cords would be an improvement on this apparatus. 
Persons out of doors should avoid trees, &c. 

The distance of a tliunder-storm and its consequent danger 
can easily be estimated. As light travels at the rate of 192,000 
miles in a second of time, its ellects may be considered as in- 
stantaneous within any moderate distance. »Sound is transmit- 
ted at the rate of only 1142 feCt in a second. By observing, 
therefore, the time which intervenes between the flash of light- 
ning and the thunder which accompanies it, a \{^ry near calcu- 
lation may be made of its distance. 

812. Slroke of Lightning. — Tlirc^w cold water upon them as 
soon as possible. It will often jestore persons struck by light- 
ning when apparently insensible, or even dead. 

8Ki. A few ConcfHC liulcs for the Recovery of PcrmuH (jj>- 
l>ar(mlly JJroyyrwd. — 'Ihe body on being taken out of the water, 
should be conveyed to ihe nearest house, in, the [/rmUe.tt manner 
jjOH.vhie ; the wet clothijs must be removed, and the body well 
dried with a towel ; it must then be placed on a mattresj, laid 
on a table of proper height and length. Care must always bo 
taken to lay the head considerably higher than the extremities, 
and to i)la(;e the body on the right side. The lungs should be 
inflated with a pair of bellows, not forcibly, but gradually, so 
tts to imitate the action of respiratioti. 

Do not {)lace the l>ody in a high degree of heat; (below 98 
degrees (;f Faln-eriheit's sc/ile is the best temperature,) clear the 
apartment of all supctrnumerary persons, and let th(i windows 
and doors be open, to admit a free circulation of air. 



DOMKSTIC KCONOMY, KTC. 209 

Apply friction, afiar the lungs have been expanded, with the 
hand only, or with a little oil on the fingers. 

No injiictions are necessary, nor emetics, except in particular 
cases: bleedng is also a doul>tful remedy: electricity, m ^ZKie- 
cioufi hands^ may prove liiglily beneficial. 

J^(jt no roiling of* the body l>e used with a view of emptying 
it of water ; there is no water present, or scarcely any. The 
heart being overloaded with blood, may be ^urst by this inju- 
dieiouH proceeding, and more mischief has been done by tossing 
and roiling the body, than by any other erroneous treatment, 
] lot water, in bottles, niay !>« aj»plied to the ieet and ankles, 
as soon as respiration couimences : wh(;n thcj blood b(5gins to 
circulate, heat may be gradually ificreased, and the patient re- 
moved to a warm bed, whc^re he must be carefully watched till 
the action of the heart be completely restored. 

The following way is commended by those who have Been it 
irictl : 1. Lose no time. 2. Handle the body gently. 8. 
OiiTVY the body with tlio head gently raised, and never hold it 
u[) by the fcjct. 4. Send for medical assistance immediately, 
and in the mean time act as follows: 1. Strip the body, rub 
it dry ; then rub it in hot bhinkets, and j)]aee it in a warm bed 
in a warm room. 2. Cleanse away the froth und mucus from 
the nose and mouth. 3. Apply wjirm bricks, botth^s, bags of 
Band, &c., to the arm-pits, between the thighs and the soles of 
the feet. 4. Rub the surface of the })ody with the hands en- 
closed in warm dry worsted socks. 5. If f)ossible, put the 
])ody into a warm Vjath. fJ. To restore bn;atliing, put the pipe 
of a common bellows in one nostril, carefully closing the other 
and the mouth; at the same time drawing downward, and 
I^ushing gently backward, tlie uf)pcr part of the windpipe, to 
allow a more \'v(i{'. admission of air; blow the bellows g(;ntly, 
in order to inflate the lungs, till th(; breast be raised a little; 
then set the mouth and nostrils ^vit(\^ and j)ress gently on the 
chest; repeat thin until signs of life a[)pear. When the pa 
tient revives, apply smelling-salts to the nose, give warm wine 
or brandy and water. Cautionn. — 1. Never rub the body 
with salt or spirits. 2. Never roll the body on casks. 3- 
Continue the remedies for twelve hours without ceasing. 
M 



PAKT V. 

MISTRESS— MOTHER— NURSE— AND MAID. 

In which are set forth the prominent Duties of each department^ 
and the most important Rules for the guidance and care of the 
Household, 

OF THE TABLE 

814. The taste and management of the mistress are always 
displayed in the general conduct of the table ; for, though that 
department of the household be not always under her direction, 
it is always under her eye. Its management involves judgment 
in expenditure, respectability of. appearance, and the comfort 
of her husband as well as of those who partake of their hospi- 
tality. Inattention to it is always inexcusable, and should be 
avoided for the lady's own sake, as it occasions a disagreeable 
degree of bustle, and evident annoyance to herself, which is 
never observable in a well-regulated establishment. 

Perhaps there are few occasions on which the respectability 
of a man is more immediately felt, than the style of dinner to 
which he may accidentally bring home a visitor. Every one 
ought to live according to his circumstances, and the meal of 
the tradesman ought not to emulate the entertainments of the 
higher classes ; but, if merely two or three dishes be well seryed, 
with the proper accompaniments, the table-linen clean, the 
small sideboard neatly laid, and all that is necessary be at hand, 
the expectation of both the husband and friend will be gratified, 
because no interruption of the domestic arrangements will dis- 
turb their social intercourse. 

Should there be only a joint and a pudding, they should 



311 

always be served up separately ; and the dishes, however small 
the party, should always form two courses. Thus, in the old 
fashioned style of " fish, soup, and a roast," the soup and fish 
are placed at the top and bottom of the table, removed by the 
joint with vegetables and pastry ; or, should the company con- 
sist of eight or ten, a couple or more^of side-dishes in the first 
course, with game and a pudding in the second, accompanied 
by confectionary, are quite sufficient. 

In most of the books which treat of cookery, various bills of 
fare are given, which Ure never exactly followed. The mistress 
should give a moderate number of those dishes which are most 
in season. The cuts which are inserted in some of those lists, 
put the soup in the middle of the table — where it should never 
be placed. For a small party, a single lamp in the centre is 
sufficient ; but, for a larger number, the room should be lighted 
with lamps hung over the table, and the centre occupied by ^ 
plateau of glass or plate, ornamented with flowers or figures. 

815. Carefulness. — A proper quantity of household articles 
should always be allowed for daily use. Each should also be 
kept in its proper place, and applied to its proper use. Let 
all repairs be done as soon as wanted, remembering the old 
adage of "a stitch in time;" and never, if possible, defer any 
necessary household concern a moment beyond the time when 
it ought to be attended to. 

In the purchase of glass and crockery-ware, either the most 
customary patterns should be chosen, in order to secure their 
being easily matched, when broken ; or, if a scarce design be 
adopted, an extra quantity should be bought, to guard against 
the annoyance of the set being spoiled by breakage — which, in 
the course of time, must be expected to happen. There should 
likewise be plenty of common dishes, that the table-set may not 
be used for putting away cold meat, &;c. 

The cook should be encouraged to be careful of coals and cin- 
ders : for the latter there is a new contrivance for sifting, without 
dispersing the dust, by means of a covered tin bucket. 

Small coal, wetted, makes the strongest fire for the back of 
the grate, but must remain untouched till it cakes. Cinders, 
lightly wetted, give a great degree of heat, and are better than 
coal, for furnaces, ironing-stoves, and ovens. 

816. Attention to little things. — By attention to little things^ 
the neat appearance of a house may be secured, and time and 



212 MRS. bale's receipts for the million 

labor saved. For instance, when you are sewing, carefully de« 
posit your bits of thread, &;c., in a little basket or box, instead 
of throwing them on the floor. And again : set your chairs 
out a little from the wall, instead of putting them close to it, 
which would not only rub the paint from the chairs, but would 
soon deface the beauty -©f the wall-paper. These appear like 
trifling, things — but nothing is too trifling to demand our atten- 
tion, when we are endeavoring to fulfil the duties of our sphere. 



817. Cheerfulness, — Does it seem singular that cheerfulness 
is placed among the requisites for good house-keeping ? But 
it is of far more importance than you would, at first view, 
imagine. What matters it to a brother or husband, if the house 
be ever so neat, or the meals punctually and well prepared, if 
the mistress of it is fretful and fault-finding — ever discontented 
and complaining. The outside of such a house is ever the most 
attractive to him, and any and every excuse will be made for 
absenting himself; and the plea of business or engagements will 
be made to her who is doomed to pass her hours needlessly in 
solitude. 



818. Of Economy in Expenditure, — Economy should be the 
first point in all families, whatever be their circumstances. A 
prudent housekeeper will regulate the ordinary expenses of a 
family, according to the annual sum allowed for housekeeping. 
By this means, the provision will be uniformly good, and it will 
not be requisite to practise meanness on many occasions, for 
the sake of meeting extra expense on one. 

The best check upon outrunning an income is to pay bills 
weekly, for you may then retrench in time. This practice is 
likewise a salutary check upon the correctness of the accounts 
themselves. 

To young beginners in housekeeping, the following brief 
hints on domestic economy^ in the management of a moderate 
income, may perhaps not prove unacceptable. 

A bill of parcels and receipt should be required, even if the 
money be paid at the time of purchase; and, to avoid mis- 
takes, let the goods be compared with these when brought 
home ; or, if paid or at future periods, a bill should be sent 
with the article, and regularly filed on separate files for each 
tradesman. 

An inventory of furniture, linen, and china should be kept, 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 213 

and the things examined by it twice a-year, or often er if there 
be a change of servants ; the articles used by servants snould 
be intrusted to their care, with a list, as is done with the plate. 
In articles not in common use, such as spare bedding, tickets of 
parchment, numbered and specifying to what they belong, 
should be sewed on each ; and minor articles in daily use, such 
as household cloths and kitchen requisites, should be occasion- 
ally looked to. 

819. Books and Accounts, — Housekeeping books, with printed 
forms for the various heads of expenditure, and the several arti- 
cles, are used in many families ; but accounts may be kept with 
as much certainty in plain books. 

820. Servants. — In the hiring of Servants^ it is an excellent 
plan to agree to increase their wages annually to a fixed sum, 
where it should stop, and to recommend that a portion of it 
should be regularly placed in a savings-bank. An incentive 
will thus be offered to good conduct ; and when the hoard saved 
up amounts to any considerable sum, the possessor will gene- 
rally feel more inclined to enlarge than to expend it. 

A. kindly feeling of indulgence on the part of the mistress 
towards her servants, in the matter of petty faults, coupled 
with good-natured attention to their daily comforts, and occa- 
sional permission to visit and receive a few of their near friends, 
would go far to create a cordial degree of attachment, which 
must be ever desirable to a respectable family, and cheaply 
purchased by such consideration. Mildness of language will 
generally be met by respectful language on the part of a ser- 
vant, and of itself will produce a saving of temper at least to 
the master or mistress. Due praise will mostly be found a 
powerful stimulus to good, and in some measure a preventive 
to bad conduct, on the part of a servant. 

Do not speak harshly or imperatively to servants, or tell 
them of their faults in the presence of strangers or visitors; but 
take the earliest opportunity of reproving them after your com- 
pany have left, 

821. Store-room, — A store-room is essential for the custody 
of articles in constant use, as well as for others which are only 
occasionally called for. These should be at hand when wanted, 
each in separate drawers, or on shelves and pegs, all under the 



214 MRS. halb's rbcbipts for thh million. 

lock and key of the mistress, and never be given out to the ser- 
vants but under her inspection. 

Pickles and preserves, prepared and purchased sauces, and 
all sorts of groceries, should be there stored ; the spices pounded 
and corked up in small bottles, sugar broken, and everything 
in readiness for use. Lemon-peel, thyme, parsley, and all sorts 
of sweet herbs, should be dried and grated for use in seasons of 
plenty ; the tops of tongues saved, and dried, for grating into 
omelets, &c. ; and care taken that nothing be wasted that can 
be turned to good account. 

Coarse nets suspended in the store-room are very useful in 
preserving the finer kinds of fruit, lemons, &c., which are 
spoiled if allowed to touch. When lemons and oranges are 
cheap, a proper quantity should be bought and prepared, both 
for preserving the juice, and keeping the peel for sweetmeats 
and grating, especially by those who live in the country, where 
they cannot always be had ; and they are perpetually wanted 
in cookery. 

* 822. Sugar, — The lowest-priced and coarsest sugar is not the 
cheapest in the end, as it is heavy, dirty, and of a very inferior 
degree of sweetness ; that which is most refined is the sweet- 
est : the best has a bright and gravelly appearance. East India 
sugars appear finer in proportion to the price; but they do not 
contain so much sweetness as the other kinds. Loaf sugars 
should be chosen as fine and as close in texture as possible, ex- 
cept they are for preserving, when the coarse, strong, open kind 
is preferable. 

823. Pepper. — The finest Cayenne pepper consists of pow- 
dered bird-pepper; but, as this is of a bad color, it is often 
adulterated to heighten the color. English chilies, dried and 
pounded, make good pepper. 

V/hite pepper is inferior to black, although the former is 
sold at the highest price. White pepper is merely black pep- 
per deprived of its outer coating, which has a stimulating 
property ; so that white pepper is much weaker than black. 

824. Cinnamon^ when good, is rather thin and pliable, and 
ebout the substance of thick paper, of yellowish-brown color, 
sweetish taste, and pleasant odor : that which is hard, thick, 
and dark-colored, should be rejected. 



MISTRESS^ MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 215 

825. Articles in Season. — Some weak-minded persons affect 
to despise articles of food when they are plentiful and cheap, 
not knowing that such is the time when the articles are in the 
greatest perfection. . 

Young and inexperienced housekeepers sometimes incur un- 
necessary expense by ordering articles of food when they are 
scarce, dear, and hardly come into season. This can only be 
prevented by attention to the seasons of different articles. 

826. Every Family to make their own Sweet Oil, — With a 
small hand-mill, every family might make their own sweet oil. 
This may easily be done, by grinding or beating the seeds of 
white poppies into a paste, then boil it in water, and skim off 
the oil as it rises ; one bushel of seed weighs Mty pounds, and 
produces two gallons of oil. Of the sweet olive oil sold, one- 
half is oil of poppies. The poppies will grow in any garden ; 
it is the large-head white poppy, sold by apothecaries. Large 
fields are sown with poppies in France and Flanders, for the 
purpose of expressing oil from their seed for food. When the 
seed is taken out, the poppy head when dried is boiled to an 
extract, which is sold at two shillings per ounce, and it is to be 
preferred to opium, which now sells very high. Large fortunes 
may be acquired by the cultivation of poppies. Women and 
children could attend to the cultivation of any quantity re- 
quired for their own use, in making oil, and it would be found 
a profitable branch of industry, when engaged in on a large 
scale. 



827. Candles and Larnps. — In purchasmg wax, spermaceti, 
or composition candles for company^ thei-e v»'ill be a saving by 
proportioning the length and size of the lights to the probable 
duration of the party. Mixed wax and spermaceti make the 
best candles, of which a long four (that is, four to the pound,) 
will last ten hours; a. short six will burn six hours ; a i\r€e^ 
twelve hours. 

K. moderate-sized French table-lamp, will consume a quarter 
)f a pint of oil in twelve hours and a half. 

A common japanned kitchen-lamp, with one burner, will 
consume one-eighth of a pint of oil in nine hours. 



828. Neati-foot Oil, — Boil the feet for several hours, as for 
making stock for jelly ; skim off the oily matter from time to 



216 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

time as it rises, and, when it ceases to come up, pour off the 
water; next day, take off the cake of fat and oil which will be 
found on the top ; boil it and the oil before obtained, together 
with a little cold water ; let it cool ; pour off the water, and 
bottle the oil for use. This oil being perfectly pure, and free 
from smell, may be used with the French lights in a sick-room. 

829. Soap, — Soap, as well as candles, is improved by keep- 
ing. Buy your store for the winter as early as September, 
and cut the large bars of soap into j^ieces, to dry. It goes far- 
ther, and is better. 



830. Coals. — Lay in your stock of coal and wood, during 
summer, when fuel of all kinds is cheapest. 

831. Good method of maJcing Fires. — In managing your fires 
during the day, first lay on a shovelful of the dust and ashes 
from under the grate, then a few coals, then more ashes, and 
afterwards a few more coals, and thus proceed till your grate 
is properly filled, placing a few round coals in front. You will 
find that the ashes retain the heat better than coals alone ; you 
will have less smoke, a pleasant fire, and a very little waste 
left at night. 



832. Kitchen- Pa per. — Whited-brown and common writing 
is much used : it should be bought by the ream or half-ream, 
which will be much cheaper than by the quire. White paper 
only should be used for singeing, and for covering meat, pas- 
try, &;c. 



833. Economy in Tinder. — The very high price of paper, at 
present, renders the saving of even the smallest quantity of 
linen or cotton rags of consequence, as they sell very dear. 
Trifling as it may be thought, yet it will be found that a con- 
siderable quantity of rags may be saved in a family, by using 
as tinder for lighting matches, the contents of the common 
snuffers, collected in the course of the evening. 



834. To prevent Accidents^ from leaving a poJcer in the fire. — • 
The following invention is equally simple and secure: — Imme- 
diately above that square part of the poker, by blacksmiths 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 217 

called " the bit," let a small cross of iron, about an inch and a 
half each way, be welded in. 

The good consequences of this simple contrivance will be — 

1st. If the poker, by the fire giving way, should slip out, it 
will probably catch on the edge of the fender. 

2d. If it should not, it cannot injure the hearth or carpet, as 
the hot part of the poker wHl be borne up some inches. 

3d. The poker cannot be run into the fire further than the 
bit, which, in regard to a polished poker, is also of some con- 
sequence. 



ON THE MANAGEMENT OF INFANTS, YOUNG 
CHILDREN, AND THE SICK. 

835. In a previous work — "Mrs. Hale's New Cook Book/' 
— I gave many receipts for preparing food for invalids and 
children ; but something more is needed. Young mothers 
and nurses, who are often inexperienced, will, I am sure, thank 
me for taking pains to procure, from the most eminent authori- 
ties, the best directions and recipes to aid them in the discharge 
of their arduous and most important duties. The preservation 
of life, and the formation of the physical constitution, as well 
as the moral development of the young beings committed by 
Divine Providence to the especial care of woman, render it 
one of the best accomplishments of our sex, to learn all we can 
respecting the high vocation whereunto we are called, viz., that 
of conservators of humanity. 

836. Of young Infants, — Immediately on the birth of the 
child, it should be received into soft fine flannel, suflicient com- 
pletely to envelop or wrap round the body, in which, with the 
mouth and nose scarcely exposed, it should repose at least an 
hour. The child may then be washed with tepid w^ater, tenderly 
and cautiously, yet speedily made dry with soft linen cloth. 
Afterwards let it be expeditiously dressed, and put into a warm 
bed, and, during the first week or fortnight, exposed as little 
as possible to cold air ; how long this caution may be necessary, 
will depend on the season of the year, or the temperature of 
the atmosphere. By strictly adhering to this mode of mana- 
ging a new-born infant, it will not suffer from catarrh, cough, 
difficulty of breathing, diarrhea, sore eyes, or stoppage in the 
head. 



21 S MRS. bale's receipts for the million 

Children are frequently placed under the care of a nurse, 
who, from her experience, is supposed qualified for the impor- 
tant trust ; but it often happens, either from her obstinacy or 
self-importance, that the most judicious plan of treatment re- 
commended by the attending physician, is defeated. 

At this period the mother is called on, by religious and 
moral obligation, as well as by the ties of natural affection, to 
suckle her infant : no doubt could be entertained of her imme- 
diate assent to so powerful an impulse, if uninfluenced by her 
friends or relatives. It cannot be denied, that she may be dis- 
qualified for the office by various maladies, by an incipient 
phthisis, by a scorbutic or scrofulous taint, by hysterical or 
nervous affections, &;c. However, the fitness or unfitness of 
the mother for this endearing office, should be determined by 
the attending physician. There are many instances recorded of 
women who had been extremely delicate and sickly previous to 
their first confinement, becoming afterwards healthy and robust. 
On the contrary, there are several histories of other women, 
who previously had enjoyed good health, suffering from coun- 
teracting the regular process of nature. The flow of the milk 
being checked, undue determinations have taken place to the 
chest or head, and in some cases proved fatal. 

In the bowels of children at the time of their birth, there is 
an accumulation of what is called '' the meconium." For what- 
ever purpose it was intended before the birth of the child, it 
would become injurious were it afterwards suffered to remain. 
Nature has provided the means for its removal, by giving to 
the new milk an aperient quality. Therefore it is advisable to 
wait, even to the third day, for the appearance of the milk, 
rather than attempt to remove the meconium by castor oil, or 
any other mild aperient medicine. The coats of the child's 
stomach and bowels are so extremely tender and irritable, that 
the mildest purgative will give pain, and disorder the health 
of the infant. By waiting for the milk, relief is obtained by 
the means nature has provided, without the slightest incon- 
venience. 



837. Clothing, — The clothing for children cannot be too sim- 
ple : it should be so formed as to admit of being easily and 
quickly changed, free from all bandages or pins, and secured 
only by tape. Shoes or stockings may be dispensed with, until 
the child begins to use its legs, as they keeo the feet wet and 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 219 

unpleasant, unless changed every hour. The child left to itself, 
will soon begin to enjoy the use and freedom of its limbs. 

838. Food. — The proper food for children is a subject of 
more importance. That which nature has provided is the milk 
of its parent; but, when this is lacking, a preparation foiled 
of cow's milk and water, with a little loaf sugar, in the follow* 
ing proportions, supplies the desideratum : — Take of fresh 
cow's milk, one table-spoonful; hot water, two table-spoonfuls; 
loaf sugar, as much as may be agreeable. Such nourishment 
will alone be sufficient for its support, until the end of the first 
three months. At this period, it may require a small portion 
of light animal food, of which, how to select the most nutritious, 
to regulate the quantity, and to administer it, after proper inter- 
vals, must depend on the experience of the nurse. Experience 
is often superseded by convenience : if the child cries, the nurse 
attributes it to a want of food, and, by her agency, it is fed 
almost every hour, both night and day. It is seldom that a 
child cries from abstinence, if it be healthy and free from pain. 
In the infantile state, the powers of the digestive organs are 
much weaker than at a more advanced period of life; and there- 
fore, although the food is more simple, it requires an interval 
of some hours to convert it into chyle : if this process be inter- 
rupted by frequent feeding, the chyle will be crude* and pass 
off without affording due nourishment to the child. Sickness 
in children arises from the quality or quantity of their food, un- 
duly administered. The food for children should be light and 
simple — gruel alone, or mixed with cow's milk; mutton broth, 
or beef tea ; stale bread, rusks, or biscuits, boiled in water to 
a proper consistence, and a little sugar added. The great mor- 
tality of children in large towns, may be attributed to the 
poverty of their parents, who cannot purchase the necessary 
food or clothing, nor find leisure to attend to cleanliness, air, 
and exercise, so indispensably necessary to the well-being of 
their offspring. In the wealthy ranks of society, these means 
are easily obtained ; and in the management of their children, 
we have only to dread the abuse of these advantages. Happy 
would it be both for rich and poor, if the superfluities of the one 
could be transferred for the benefit of the other. 

When six months old, a child may be fed every four hours, 
when awake. Nothing can be more injurious to health than 
too frequent or irregular meals. Children, if left to themselves, 



220 MRS. bale's eecbipts for the million. 

soon acquire the habit of passing through the night without 
being fed. 



839. Weaning of children should not take place under six 
months, if the mother be in health, nor be deferred beyond nine 
mdtiths. It cannot be too frequently impressed on the mind 
of the parent, that the future health and strength of her child 
depend on a due supply of the food which nature has provided. 
Regarding her own health, the chances are that it will be im- 
proved — at all events, it is incumbent on her to make the ex- 
periment ; if her strength falls off, she may at any time retire 
from the effort, and engage a wet-nurse. 

This fostei^'parent should not be more than thirty years of 
age, nor should her milk be more than three months old. She 
should be in health, free from scorbutic or scrofulous taints, 
from cutaneous scurf, or eruptions, perfectly clean in her per- 
son, and extremely neat in her management of whatever con-* 
cerns the child. She must be sober and temperate : her diet 
should consist of a due proportion of bread, fresh meat, and 
vegetables ; her drink, tea, chocolate, and milk and water ; 
but on no consideration either wine or any other spirituous 
liquors. These, if drank by the nurse, will prove injurious to 
the child. 



840. Proper Medicines for Infants, — Nature has not only- 
provided food for infants, but likewise given to them a constitu- 
tion capable of correcting those slight deviations from health, 
to which alone they are liable when properly nursed. This 
has induced many to assert that medicines are not required in 
the nursery : perhaps the assertion might be correct, if children 
were suffered to remain in a state of nature : the further they 
are removed from it, the evils they have to contend with bear 
a proportionate increase. As most of their complaints arise 
from a vvant of attention to their food, to air, and exercise, by 
a prompt and skilful use of medicine, these complaints may be 
removed ; therefore, it is not the use but the abuse of medicine 
that should be avoided. If a child be tormented by a pin run- 
ning into the flesh, no one would contend against the removal 
of the pin. 

The diseases to which children are liable, are sore eyes, sore 
ears, sore head, scald head, sickness and vomiting, thrush, red 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. S^l 

gum, yellow gum, pain in the bowels, diarrhea, dentition, chil- 
blains, rickets, worms, scrofula, catarrh, cough, measles, dec. 



841. Sore Eyes frequently occur on the second or third day 
after the birth, occasioned by too early an exposure of the child 
to a cold atmosphere : the eyelids swell, become closed, and 
discharge a purulent matter. It may be relieved by fomenting 
the eyelids with equal parts of lime water and elder-flower 
water. Dip some fine old linen cloth into this mixture, mode- 
rately warmed, and apply it to the eyelids. This is a mild 
astringent application : if the swellings should not be reduced 
by it, the following, which is more astringent, will probably 
succeed ; Take of white vitriol, two .grains ; rose-water, two 
ounces ; mix them together. Should it be necessary, the quan- 
tity of white vitriol may be increased. 

842. Sore Ears, — Excoriations of the skin frequently happen 
either behind the ears, in the folds of the skin, on the neck, in 
the groins, or wherever the folds of the skin, come in contact. 
Wash the skin morning and evening with cold water, make it 
perfectly dry with a fine linen cloth, then shake on lightly the 
following powder : Take white ceruse, one part ; wheaten 
starch, in flour, three parts ; mix them together. Or, take 
Goulard's extract, French brandy, of each, one drachm ; rose- 
water, four ounces. Mix them together, and apply it with soft 
linen cloth to the excoriations of the skin. 

The following liniment may be relied on : Take acetate of 
lead, one scruple ; rose-water, half an ounce ; melted beef mar- 
row, one ounce. Rub the acetate of lead in the rose-water, until 
they are intimately mixed, then melt the marrow over a gentle 
heat ; afterwards pour the mixture upon the marrow by little 
and little, taking care that each addition be incorporated with 
the marrow, so as to form an uniform mass. This may be ap- 
plied with a camels'-hair pencil. 

843. Sore Head, — This complaint appears first on the fore- 
head, in large white spots or scabs, which, if neglected, soon 
spread over the whole surface of the head. It is sometimes 
dry, at others moist, with a thin, watery discharge. It is named 
the crusta lactea, or milky crust. There are two methods of 
treating it. Nurses encourage the discharge by applying cab 
bage leaves, oil-cloth, <Sz;c. ; this is by no means nec^3ssary ; it 



222 MKS. bale's RECEIPTi FOR THB MILLIOIT. 

makes the head offensive, and the appearance of the child dis- 
gusting. It is much better to cure it as soon as possible, by 
washing the scabs night and morning with equal parts of brandy 
and water ; then lay on the following ointment : Take, olive 
oil, five drachms ; white wax, two drachms ; calcined zinc, one 
drachm. Melt the oil and wax together, then add the zinc by 
degrees, and keep stirring it until they are intimately mixed. 



844. Scald Head is totally unlike the preceding disease: 
brown-colored scabs appear on the crown of the head, which dis 
charge a glutinous matter, and unite the hairs, so as to prevent 
their being separated with a comb : these scabs continue to 
spread until they occupy the whole of the scalp. 

Keep the hair cut as close as possible, wash the head with a 
strong solution of soap in water, night and morning ; as soon as 
it can be done, instead of cutting the hair with scissors, let it be 
shaved close once a day. 

Every one has a remedy for this complaint ; perhaps the fol- 
lowing ointment will be found one of the most effective : Take 
Barbadoes tar, one ounce ; the dust of the lycoperdon, or puff 
fungus, one drachm. Mix them well together, and rub in a 
part of it to the roots of the hair, after washing the head with 
the soap and water. By steadily persevering in these means, 
and giving an occasional purge, the cure will soon be accom 
plished. 



845. Sickness and Vomiting, — Soon after the birth, children 
are frequently annoyed by these symptoms : they are occa- 
sioned by the indiscreet conduct of the nurses, who are apt to 
give either improper food or medicine. At this early period, 
as before remarked, the stomach is incapable of digesting any 
other food than the milk of its mother; consequently, what- 
ever is forced into it, remains there undigested, u«itil, by a con- 
vulsive effort, it is thrown off by vomiting. So long as it re- 
mains in the stomach, the child is restless, and in other respects 
indisposed. It may be relieved by a tea-spoonful of castor-oil, 
to be repeated, until one or two motions are occasioned. 

Children who are dry nursed are most subject to sickness 
and vomiting ; the natural remedy is the breast of a healthy 
woman. Without this relief, gripings and diarrhea frequently 
come on and prove fatal. 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 223 

Children so circumstanced, may be relieved by the following 
emetic : 

Take of ipecacuanha, two drachms; boiling water, four 
ounces. Let them stand together until the water grows cold, 
then strain off the liquor. To one ounce of the liquor, add 
eight drops of antimonial wine. Dose, two tea-spoonfuls every 
half hour, until it excites vomiting. 



846. The Thrush^ or sore mouth, is a complaint very pain- 
ful, and, if neglected, fatal to children. When it first comes on, 
it resembles small pieces of curd lying loose upon the tongue ; 
it gradually spreads itself over the inside of the mouth, but af- 
terwards rapidly advances to the throat, stomach, and bowels. 
Therefore, when the white specks appear, proper means should 
be instantly employed to remove them, or to suspend their 
progress. If the child be costive, give the following aperient : 

Take of calcined magnesia, two scruples ; common mint 
water, two ounces ; mix them together. The dose, a dessert- 
spoonful every half hour, until it operates. Or, take of manna, 
one ounce ; senna leaves, one drachm ; common mint-water, 
four ounces. Boil them together, until the manna be dissolved, 
then strain off the liquor. Dose, two drachms every half hour, 
until two or more motions are occasioned. 

For cleaning the mouth, take equal parts of borax and white 
sugar ; rub them together into a fine powder. Of this put a 
small quantity into the child's mouth, which will be distributed 
to every part by the motion of its tongue. Repeat this appli- 
cation three or four times a day : if used early, it will k^ep the 
mouth free from white specks, and remove the complaint in 
a few days. 

If, on the contrary, it should be neglected, and suffered to 
extend to the stomach and bowels^ gentle emetics ought to be 
employed, such as the following antimonial emetic : Take of 
antimonial wine, forty drops ; mint-water, two ounces. Mix 
them together. Dose, a dessert- spoonful every half hour, until 
it excites vomiting. 

This disease rarely occurs in children, who take no other food 
but the milk of the mother, or foster-parent. It is so far conta- 
gious, that if a healthy child be put to the breast of a woman, 
who is suckling another child, having the thrush, it will contract 
this complaint. 



224 MRS. bale's receipts for the million 

847. Red Gum requires no farther attention than keeping the 
bowels gently open, and avoiding an exposure to cold air. It 
is symptomatic of healthy action, and ought not to be checked. 



848. Infantile Jaundice, — The skin of new-born infants is 
sometimes tinged with bile, and gives the appearance of jaun- 
dice ; by some it has been named the yellow gum. It seems 
to be occasioned by the sudden change in the circulation of the 
blood, immediately on the birth, by which an increased flow of 
blood is conveyed to the liver, and consequently an increased 
secretion of bile follows,' w^hich from various causes may be 
prevented from passing off freely into the intestines. It is at- 
tended with no danger, and is generally removed by mild pur- 
gatives. 

The hare-lip, fraenum linguae, or tongue-tied, requires surgi- 
cal aid. 



849. Pain in the Bowels xn2iY happen with or without diar- 
rhea, and is often produced by improper food, or exposure to 
cold air. The symptoms are frequent fits of crying, drawing 
up the knees towards the bowels, which are hard and tense to 
the touch, accompanied either with an obstinate costiveness, or 
thin, watery, and frequent evacuations, slimy, sour, and of a 
green color. This complaint is oftentimes relieved by the fol- 
"lowing powders : Take Turkey rhubarb, in very fine powder, 
calcined magnesia, of each, twelve grains ; compound powder 
of ipecacuanha, four grains. Mix them well together, and di- 
vide them into six doses : one to be given night and morning, 
to a child under three months ; above that age, the dose should 
be increased. 

The health and diet of the mother, or nurse, should be strictly 
attended to. In some cases the pain is extremely acute, and 
the agony of the child is known by its cries. Whenever this 
happens, the following mixture may be given : Take of Turkey 
rhubarb, in fine powder, twelve grains; magnesia, eight grains; 
tincture of rhubarb, one drachm ; syrup of poppies, two 
drachms ; simple mint- water, an ounce and a half. Mix them 
together. Dose, if within the first or second month, two tea- 
spoonfuls every fourth hour. The phial should be shaken be- 
fore the medicine is poured out. 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 225 

850. Other remedies for the Colic in Infants, — A great varietj" 
of cordials, spices, and opiates, has been recommended, and 
frequently used, to relieve the pain and expel the M^ind. They 
may sometimes answer the purpose, especially m sudden fits 
of pain in the stomach, from cold or any other accidental cause. 
At all times, they should be sufficiently diluted with water, 
cautiously given, and seldcm repeated. When the effects of 
these medicines go off, the pain returns ; therefore it is not a 
desirable mode of obtaining relief. Of the cordials, Geneva, 
mixed with water, is the least objectionable ; being impregnated 
with the essential oil of juniper-bemes, it is an excellent and 
safe carminative. However, these warm medicines are by no 
means to be relied on for the removal of the cause of this 
malady, their effect being merely temporary : such as Godfrey's 
cordial, and other nostrums — being compounds of opium, spi- 
ces, and brandy. Opium, when judiciously administered, is 
an invaluable remedy ; the dose of it should be most accurately 
proportioned to the age of the patient, and urgency of the symp- 
toms, otherwise it may become a poison; and, therefore, should 
never be given to children, unless under the direction of the 
most skilful in the profession. Few nurseries are without a 
medicine of this kind ; it quiets the pain of the infant, inddces 
sleep, and leaves the nurse to her repose. Children under this 
treatment become languid, pallid, incapable of exertion, and, at 
length, rickety. 

The following anodyne mixture will generally relieve the 
griping pains of diarrhea : — Take of prepared chalk, and gum- 
arabic, each one drachm ; syrup of white poppies, three drachms ; 
Geneva, two drachms ; water, four ounces. Mix them together. 
Dose, a dessert-spoonful after each motion. 

In bowel-complaints, chalk has been objected to, as too power- 
ful an astringent in checking diarrhea suddenly : this may be 
obviated by giving it only after each motion. When the bowels 
have been previously acted on, either by the rhubarb powders, 
or by the antimonial emetic, the chalk mixture is a never-failing 
remedy. It may be given with or \\ithout opium, according 
to the urgency of the symptoms. 

The following medicine, by exciting a determination to the 
skin, effectually relieves the sufferings of the child : — Take ipe- 
cacuanha, in coarse powder, two drachms ; boiling water, four 
ounces. When cold, strain off the liquor through a fine piece 
of linen cloth : then add to three ounces of this liquor — d' Gpo- 
15 



226 MRS. HALE*S BECEIPTS FOR THE J«Eli.LION, 

neva, three drachms ; syrup of white poppies, two drachms. 
Dose, a dessert-spoonful every fourth hour. 

When this state of the bowels is followed by convulsions, 
the lower extremities, or the whole body, should be immersed 
in a warm bath. During the preparation of a bath, flannel 
dipped in warm water and wrung dry, may be applied to tht 
extremities. Leeches and blisters, under skilful directions, will 
subdue the violence of the symptoms. 



851. Convulsions — Are generally symptomatic, and, for the 
most part, in children, occasioned by the growth of their teeth: 
therefore, the gums should be carefully examined, to ascertain 
whether they arise from this cause ; if so, the lancet should be 
immediately and freely used, to divide the gum down to the 
teeth. This operation is not painful, nor in the least degree 
hazardous, therefore ought not to be delayed. 



852. Dentition, — There is no period in infancy that requires 
more skill and attention, than that which passes from the first 
movement of the teeth in their sockets, to their subsequent ad- 
vance through the gums. At the birth of the child, the teeth 
are lodged within the jaw-bones, and enveloped by a membrane 
or bag, which is distended as the teeth enlarge and press for- 
w^ard, frequently attended with pain, fever, diarrhea, and con- 
vulsions. These symptoms first appear towards the end of 
*the third month, when the child is said to be breeding its teeth : 
they arise from the first enlarirement of the teeth in their sock- 
ets, and subside as soon as they pass above the jaw. Between 
the sixth and ninth month, the teeth as they rise, press upon 
the gums, when the same train of symptoms take place. Some 
children suffer very little pain during this process ; others suflfer 
most severely : this depends chiefly on the nerves being more 
or less irritable. When the child preserves its appetite and 
cheerfulness, and is free Irom i^\kiY^ no medicine can be re- 
quired, except what may be necessary to obviate costiveness. 
This should be carefully attended to, as nothing tends more 
efiectualiy to relieve or prevent the symptoms of dentition, 
than a free discharge from the bowels. 

An increased secretion of saliva marks the first advance of 
the teeth, followed, in irritable habits, by diarrhea, i^\'Qi\ thii-st, 
and convulsions. The use of the gum-lancet siiould not be 
neglected, whenever the symptoms are urgent. The parents 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 227 

frequently object to this mode of relief, conceiving it to be a 
painful operation. As a proof of the contrary, children that 
have once been relieved by it, will eagerly press their gums 
upon the lancet. If the tooth should not appear after the first 
use of the lancet, the incision may be frequently repeated. 

The symptoms may be relieved by the following emetic: — 
Take of tartar-emetic, one grain ; dissolve it in two ounces of 
distilled water. Dose, two tea-spoonfuls every half hour, until 
it excites vomiting. 

Tiiis remedy will relax the tension of the gums, and lessen 
the force of the fever. 

If the habit of the child should be costive, the mildest purga- 
tives should be employed, to occasion two or more motions 
daily — such as manna, dissolved in common mint-water; or 
senna-tea ; or the following : — Take of senna leaves, one drachm ; 
the yellow rind of the lemon, eight grains : boil them in two 
ounces of water; strain off the liquor, when cold; and give a 
dessert-spoonful as a dose for children three or four months old. 
Or, take manna and fresh-drawn oil of sweet almonds, of each, 
one ounce; syrup of roses, two ounces: mix them together. 
Dose, a dessert-spoonful. 



853. The Croup — At its commencement has the appearance 
of common catarrh, but speedily assumes its peculiar character, 
which is marked by hoarseness, with a shrillness and ringing 
sound in coughing and breathing ; so shrill is the noise made by 
the child, that it resembles the sound of air forced through a tube 
of brass. This inflammation, seated in the membrane which 
lines the windpipe, is. attended with stricture, difficult respiration, 
cough, quick pulse, heat, and a flushed countenance. 

This disease comes on suddenly, and is extremely rapid in 
its progress ; therefore, vigorous measures must be instantly 
adopted. Give an emetic, then apply a blister across the throat, 
and keep the bowels open with laxative injections. 

854. Cure for Croup, — Dr. Fisher, of Boston, relates in a late 
number of the Medical Journal^ a case in which a severe attack 
of croup was cured by the application of sponge, wrung out of 
hot water, to the throat, together with water treatment, which 
he describes as follows : — 

''Soon after making the first application of sponges to the 
throat, I wrapped the child in a wollen blanket, wrung out in 



228 MRS. bale's RECEIFTS FOR THE MILLION. 

warm water, as a substitute for a warm bath, and gave twenty 
drops of the wine of antimony in a little sweetened water, which 
was swallowed with difficulty. I persevered in the application 
of the hot, moist sponges for an hour, when the child was so 
much relieved that I ventured to leave it. 

" These applications were continued through the night, and in 
the morning the child was well." 

It will never do to trifle with this terrible disease. The quicker 
the remedies are applied, the better. Instead of antimony, we 
would recommend small quantities of alum water, given *every 
ten or fifteen minutes, until the child vomits. 



855. Rickets — Are, for the most part, induced by improper food 
and bad nursing. Their approach is marked by a sickly, pallid 
countenance, cough, and difficult respiration. The bones of the 
legs and arms lose their firmness, and become more or less 
crooked ; the bones of the head do not unite, and the spine be- 
comes distorted. At its first appearance it may be successfully 
counteracted by a strict attention to cleanliness in every thing 
that concerns the child, by exercise in the open air, by cold 
bathing, by friction of the limbs night and morning, and by a 
light, nutritious diet. Before the use of the bath, the bowels 
should be cleared by the following aperient powder : — 

Take of Rhubarb, in fine powder, six grains ; calcined magne- 
sia, three grains ; common mint-water, six drachms.. Mix them 
together. 

During the use of the cold bath, either Peruvian bark or steel 
may be employed to strengthen the child : such as. 

The precipitate of the sulphate of iron, three grains ; syrup 
of cinnamon, a tea-spoonful. When mixed, to be taken three 
times a-day. Or, take of the resinous extract of bark, one 
drachm ; the syrup of cinnamon, seven drachms. Mix them 
together. The dose, a tea-spoonful, three times a-day 



856. Scrofula^ — Although it has been considered as an hered- 
itary disease, may be induced in a child, whose parents have 
no such taint, by a neglect of proper food, air and exercise. 
On the contrary, when the taint does exist in the parent, the 
offspring may pass through life with the enjoyment of tolerable 
health, by a strict attention to those means- which are known to 
invigorate the body. Of preventives, there are none so effica- 
cious as sea air, sea bathing, and the internal use of the sea wa^ 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 229 

ter, m sufficient quantity to act on the bowels, and the local ap- 
plication of it to the glands which are enlarged. Indeed, the 
children of diseased parents should reside on the coast, in order 
to have the full benefit of these advantages. Friction should 
be applied generally on the surface of the body, with the hand 
covered with a flannel glove, night and morning. Eood of easy 
digestion is to be preferred, such as, shell-fish, game, poultry, 
beef or mutton. Bajjc and steel, as' medicines, may be occa- 
sionally administered with good effect. This disease, which bids 
defiance to the regular physician, cannot with propriety be 
placed on the list of casualties, or sudden seizures. 



857. Worms. — There are three species of worms which in- 
fest the intestines : namely, the flat worm, or taenia ; the long, 
round worm, or lumbrici ; the short, round worm, or ascarides. 
The taenia is of rare . occurrence when compared with the lum- 
brici or ascarides, but more difficult to remove. Full doses of 
sulphate of iron, with occasional active doses of calomel, force 
them to retire. The lumbrici are destroyed by repeated doses 
of calomel and scammony. The ascarides, being found in the 
lowest portion of the intestines, are easily removed by injec- 
tions of lime-water, or a solution of aloes. 

Paients who would preserve their children from worms, ought 
to allow them plenty of exercise in the open air ; . to take care 
that their food be wholesome and sufficiently solid ; and, as far 
as possible, to prevent their eating raw herbs, roots, or green 
trashy fruits. It will not be amiss to allow a child who is subject 
to worms, a glass of red wine after meals ; as every thing that 
braces and strengthens the stomach, is good both for preventing 
and expelling these vermin. In order to prevent any mistake 
of what I have here said in favor of solid food, it may be proper 
to observe, that I only made use of that word in opposition to 
slops of every kind ; not to advise parents to cram their chil^ 
dren with meat, two or three times a-day. This should only be 
allowed at dinner, and in moderate quantities, or it would cre- 
ate, instead of preventing, worms ; for there is no substance in 
nature which generates so many worms as the flesh of animals, 
when in a state of putrefaction. Meat, therefore, at the prin 
cipal meal, should always be accompanied with plenty of good 
bread, and young, tender, and well-boiled vegetables ; especially 
in the spring, when these are poured forth from the bosom of 
the earth in such profusion. They promote the end in view, by 



230 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

keeping the body moderately open, without the aid of artificial 
physic. The ripe fruits of autumn produce the same effect; 
and, from their cooling, antiputrescent qualifies, are as whole- 
some as the unripe are pernicious. I also very earnestly con- 
jure parents not to take the alarm at every imaginary symptom 
of w^orms, and dil-ectly run for drugs to the quack, or apothe- 
cary. They should first try the good effects of proper diet and 
regimen, and never have"^ recourse to medicines till after une- 
quivocal proofs of the nature of the corftplaint. 

Honey and milk are very good for worms ; so is strong saltT 
water; likewise, powdered sage and molasses taken freely. 



858. Quinsy — Is the common inflammatory sore throat, 
attended by a sense of heat and fulness in the throat, by diffi- 
cult deglutition, generally preceded by shivering, with a sense 
of coldness* On inspection, the tonsils appear red and enlarged. 
These symptoms continuing to increase, the patient is threatened 
with sulibcation, the tonsils suppurate, when, by a spontaneous 
bursting of the abscess, relief instantly follows. It often hap- 
pens that th^ abscess does not give way so soon as expected, 
when the puncture of a lancet puts an end to the alarming suf- 
ferings of the patient. In some cases, the quantity of matter 
contained in the tumor is very considerable, and instances have 
occurred, when, from the sudden bursting of the tumor, the 
patient being in a horizontal position, sufibcation has 'followed, 
•^om the matter falling into the lungs. 

To guard against these evils, an emetic of ipecacuanha should 
be administered, and a blister applied to the neck. As soon 
as the effect of the emetic has ceased, and the stomach will 
receive it, give the following aperient mixture : — Take of tar- 
tarized kali, three drachms; infusion of senna, two ounces; 
tincture of senna, two drachms. Mix them together. 

If blisters are objected to, a piece of fine flannel, moistened 
with the compound spirit of ammonia, may be placed round 
the neck. Gargles are to be used in ^Y^ry stage of this disease ; 
at first, they should be mildly detergent, as the following : — 
Take of barley-water, six ounces and a half; honey of roses, 
one ounce; tinctureof myrrh, and vinegar, of each, two drachms. 
Mix them together, and cleanse the mouth and throat with 
some of the gargle from time to time. 

When the violence of the symptoms begins to subside, a 
©harper gargle becomes necessary ; for this purpose the follow- 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSB AND MAID. 231 

ir.g IS r< commended : — Take of infusion of red roses, seven 
ounces ; honey of roses, one ounce ; diluted sulphuric acid, 
twenty drops. Mfx them together. 

Throughout the course of this disease, keep the bowels open 
with mild purgatives or laxative injections. When the swelling 
of the tonsil^comes on rapidly, send instantly for a surgeon. 

859. Whooping Cough. — This is a violent, convulsive cough, 
a'-tended at first with slight febrile symptoms. Its shortest 
' aration is three weeks ; during this time, the symptoms may 

»e rendered milder, or more aggravated, by the mode of treat- 

nent. 

During the first three or four weeks, keep the child or patient 
in an uniform degree of temperature ; if possible, never below 
G4 degrees of Fahrenheit's scale. The diet should be light, 
chiefly bread, milk, and vegetables with butter. Rice or Indian 
puddings, with plenty of molasses, are good food for children 
in this disease. \^ the cough is vo^ry violent, and the phlegm 
hard in the throat, a gentle emetic of ipecacuanha, or some pre- 
paration of antimony, should be given ew^ry second or third 
morning, to clear the stomach from the mucus which, in this 
cough, is constantly secreted. By these means, the violence 
of the disease will soon be overcome ; whereas, by an exposure 
to cold air, and neglecting all precautions, you may aggravate and 
continue the cough for months. In the summer, change of air 
is one of the best remedies ; and be sure to avoid whatever has 
a tendency to irritate the throat, or excite the action of the 
heart. ' In this, as in every other disease, the state of the bowels 
should be carefully attended to. .A mild aperient is sometimes 
necessary. 



860. Colds. — The best 2)reventive of colds, is to wash your 
children every day thoroughly in cold water, if they are strong 
enough to bear it ; if not, add a little warm water, and rub the 
skin dry. This keeps the pores open. If they do take cold, 
give them a warm bath as soon as possible; if that is not con- 
venient, bathe the feet and hands, and wash the body all over 
in warm water; then give a cup of warm tea, and cover the 
patient in bed. 



861. — If a Sore Throat follow, take a tumbler of molasses 
and water, half-and-half, when going to bed ; and rub the throat 



232 MRS. HALE's receipts for the MILLIOljr. 

with a mixture of sweet or goose-oil and spirits of turpentine ; 
then wear flannel round it. 



862. Canker^ or Sovq Mouth, — Steep blackberry-leaves, sweet- 
en with honey, sprinkle in a little burnt alum, and wash the 
mouth often with this decoction. # 



863. Cutaneous Eruptions in Children, — Children, while on 
the breast, are seldom free from eruptions of one kind or other. 
These, however, are not often dangerous, and ought never to 
be dried up but with the greatest caution. They tend to free 
the bodies of infants from hurtful humors, which, if retained, 
might produce fatal disorders. ' The eruptions of children are 
chiefly owing to improper food and neglect of cleanliness. If a 
child be stuffed at all hours with food that its stomach is not 
able to digest, such food not being properly assimilated, instead 
of nourishing the body, fills it with gross humors. These must 
either break out in form of eruptions upon the skin, or remain 
in the body, and occasion fevers and other internal disorders. 

Eruptions are the effect of improper food, or want of cleanli- 
ness : a proper attention to these alone will generally be sufli- 
cient to remove them. If this should not be the case, some 
drying medicines will be necessary. When they are applied, 
the body ought at the same time to be kept open, and cold is 
carefully to be avoided. We know no medicine that is more 
'"feafe for drying up cutaneous eruptions than sulphur, provided 
it be prudently used. A little of the flour of sulphur may be 
mixed with fresh butter, oil, or hog's lard, and the parts affected 
frequently touched with it. 

The most obstinate of all the eruptions incident to children 
are, the tinea capitis^ or scabbed head, and chilblains. The 
scabbed head is often exceedingly difficult to cure, and some- 
times, indeed, the cure proves worse than the disease. I have 
frequently known children seized with internal disorders, of 
which they died soon after their scabbed heads had been healed 
by the application of drying medicines. The cure ought always 
first to be attempted by keeping the head very clean, cutting 
off the hair, combing and brushing away the scabs, <Sz;c. If this 
is not sufficient, let the head be shaved once a-week, washed 
daily with yellow soap, and gently anointed with a liniment 
made of train-oil, eight ounces, red precipitate, in fine powder, 
one drachm. And if there be proud flesh, it should be 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 233 

touched with a bit of blue vitriol, or sprinkled with a little burnt 
alum. While these things are doing, the patient must be con- 
fined to a regular light diet, the body should be kept gently 
open, and cold, as far as possible, ought to be avoided. To 
prevent any bad consequences irom stopping this discharge, it 
will be proper, especially in children of a gross habit, to make 
an issue in the neck or arm, which may be kept open till the 
patient becomes more strong, and the constitution be somewhat 
mended. 



864. Wounded Feet. — When a nail or pin has been run into 
the foot, instantly bind on a rind of salt pork ; if the foot swell, 
bathe it in a strong decoction of wormwood, then bind on 
another rind of pork, and keep quiet till the wound is well. 
The lockjaw is often caused by such wounds, if neglected. 



865. For a Bruise or Sprain. — Bathe the part in cold water, 
till you can get ready a decoction of wormwood. This is one 
of the best remedies for sprains and bruises. When the worm- 
wood is fresh gathered, pound the leaves and wet them either 
with water or vinegar, and bind them on the bruise ; when the 
herb is dry, put it into cold water, and let it boil a short time, 
then bathe the bruise and bind on the herb. 

Always keep cotton wool, scraped lint, and wormwood on 
hand. 



866. Far-ache in Children, — The ear-ache is usually caused 
by a sudden cold. Steam the head over hot herbs, bathe the feet, 
and put into the ear cotton wool wet with sweet oil and 
paregoric. 



867. To make Artificial Sea Water, for bathing Children,-^ 
Take common sea salt, two pounds ; bitter purging salt, two 
ounces , magnesia earth, half an ounce ; dissolve all in river 
water, six gallons. These are the exact proportions and con- 
tents of sea water, from an accurate analyzation. 



868. Another method of making Sea Water. — Take common 
salt, half an ounce ; rain, or river water, pure, a pint ; spirit of 
8ea salt, twenty drops. Mix it. 



2Si KBS. bale's KECXirTS FOK THE MILLION. 

869. Valuable concise Rules for presei-ving Health in Winter, 
— Keep the feet from wet, and the head well defended when iu 
bed ; avoid too plentiful meals ; drink moderately warm and 
generous, but not iDflaming liquors ; go not abroad without 
breakfast. Shun the night air •as you would the plague; and 
let your houses be kept from damps by warm fires. By 
observing these few and simple rules, better health may be ex- 
pected than from the use of the most powerful medicines. 



870. Avoid ^ as much as possible^ living near Church-yards.-^ 
The putrid emanations arising from church-yards are very dan- 
gerous ; and parish-churches, in which many corpses are inter- 
red, become impregnated with an air so corrupted, especially 
in spring, when the ground begins to grow warm, that it is pru- 
dent to avoid this evil as much as possible, as it may be, and, 
in some cases, has been, one of the chief sources of putrid fe- 
vers which are so prevalent at that season. 



8T1. Cautions in visiting Sick Booms, — Do not venture into 
a sick room if you are in a violent perspiration ; for the mo- 
ment your body becomes cold, it is in a state likely to absorb 
the infection ; nor visit a sick person, (if the complaint be 6f a 
contagious nature;) with an empty stomachy nor swallow your 
saliva. Jn attending a sick person, place yourself where the air 
"passes from the door or window, to the bed of the invalid, not 
between the invalid and the fire, as the heat of the fire will 
draw the infectious vapor in that direction, and you would run 
much danger from breathing in it. 



872. Syncope^ or Fainting. — When fainting comes on from 
loss of blood, inanition, or sudden emotions of the mind, the 
patient should Vje placed in a horizontal position, with the head 
gently raised. Volatile salts should be applied to the nose, and 
when the patient is sufl[iciently recovered, a few spoonfuls of 
warm cordial medicine should be administered. 



873. Preventive of Autumnal Rheumatisms, — For the sake 
of bright and polished stoves, do not, when the weather is cold, 
refrain from making fires. There is not a more useful docu- 
ment for health to the inhabitants of this climate, than "follow 
your feelings." 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 235 

874. To promote Sleep, — No fire, candle, rus^.j-light, oi lamp, 
shoald be kept burning, during the nigtit, in a bed-room ; for it 
not only vitiates the air, but disturbs the nerves of the child. 
Keep the bed-chamber well ventilated — this greatly promotes 
healthful rest. 



875. Useful Properties of Celandine, — The juice of this plant 
cures tetters and ring- worms, destroys warts, and cures the itch. 



876. Singularly useful Properties of Garlic. — The smell of 
garlic, which is formidable to many ladies, is, perhaps, the 
most infallible remedy in the world against the vapors, and all 
the nervous disorders to which women are subject. Of this 
(says St. Pierre) 1 have had repeated experience. 

877. The Usefulness of two common Plants. — Every plant in 
the corn-field possesses virtues particularly adapted to the mal- 
adies incident to the condition of the laboring man. The poppy 
cures the pleurisy, procures sleep, stops hemorrhages, and spit- 
ting of blood. Poppy seeds form an emulsion similar to that 
from almonds in every respect, w^hen prepared in the same man- 
ner. They also yield, by expression, fine salad oil, like that 
from Florence. The blue-bottle is diuretic, vulnerary, cordial, 
and cooling; an antidote to the stings of venomous insects, and 
a remedy for inflammation of the eyes. 



QUALIFICATIONS OF A GOOD NURSE. 

878. Good Temper. — An even temper is among the principal 
qualifications, if not the most desirable one, for a good nurse; 
and without this gentleness and a kind manner, she must be 
considered deficient. 



879. Firmness. — Next in importance to good temper, are 
firmness and decision of character, the exercise of which is 
frequently, or rather absolutely indispensable, in the manage- 
ment of the sick. 



880. Discrimination. — This talent enables the nurse to dis- 
tinguish between circumstances which, to an unobserving per- 
son, appear nearly allied to each other, but where there is, in 



236 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

reality, an important difference. It is only or generally ao 
quired by experience an^ observation, and requires good sense 
as its foundation and support. It is the faculty of right judg- 
ment. 



881. Self-denial. — The business of taking care of the sick, 
if rightly attended to, requires a devotion to the interests and 
wants of the patient, which oan only be given by the good 
nurse, who can willingly, and from her heart, practise the 
heavenly precepts of doing as she would be done by, and deny- 
ing herself any indulgences that interfere with her duties. 



882. General Intelligence, — Another important qualification 
of a good nurse, is such knowledge of reading, and subjects of 
general interest, as make her able to interest and amuse her 
patient during the weary hours of slow recovery, or desponding 
intervals of intermitting diseases. * 



883. Abstinence from improper habits, — The habit of using 
snuff in any manner — smoking — sipping intoxicating liquors — - 
taking opium — or indulging in any improper and disagreeable 
habit of actions or expressions, should be carefully avoided by 
those who hold the responsible and important station of nurses 
of the sick. 



884. Cleanliness. — This is a cardinal virtue ; and no woman 
can be a good nurse who is careless in her own apparel, and 
slatternly in her habits. In the preparation of food for the sick, 
the most scrupulous neatness should be observed. 



885. Industry^ Economy y and Good Housewifery, — All three 
of these qualifications are essential, and usually associated in 
the same person ; but, the exercise of qualities is necessary to 
their improvement — and a nurse who has proved herself com- 
petent, is most worthy of being trusted. 



886. Prudence and Piety, — The principles of true discretion, 
or prudence of character, are based on the Christian religion, 
as are all the moral virtues. The nurse must be religious, or 
she will rarely be discreet ; and the opportunities constantly 
afforded her of influencing the mind and heart of her patient, 



NURSE AND MAID. 23*^ 

render her station one of great trust and responsibility. A 
good nurse is a woman that deserves honor as weU as reward. 

887. Rules for the Nurse, — 1. Keep the patient's room quiet, 
well-aired, and clean as possible. 

2. Never excite disagreeable mental emotions in the sick, by 
telling sad stories and melancholy news ; nor allow the presence 
of unpleasant persons or objects. 

3. Never whisper, nor seem to be telling what the sick are 
not permitted to hear. 

4. Administer to the necessities of the invalid, promptly and 
kindly ; but do not worry him with questions and constant 
attentions, when these are not needed. 

5. Never disturb the quiet sleep of the patient, even to give 
medicine, unless peremptorily charged to do so by the phy- 
sician. A refreshing sleep is often better than medicine, for 
the sick ; but do not sleep yourself, and allow the suffering one 
tx) lie awake, and needing your care. 



888. Administering Medicine. — There are certain rules, if 
observed in giving medicine, that will render the duty less 
disagreeable to the nurse, by making it more tolerable to the 
patient. 

1st. Select the most agreeable and suitable ingredient in 
which it is to be exhibited. 

2d. Take as small a quantity of this as can possibly be made 
to answer the purpose of mixing. 

3d. If it be disagreeable to the taste, prepare the mouth for 
its reception by holding in, and rinsing it with some acid, as 
strong vinegar, lemon juice, or something of the kind. 

4th. Never mix the medicine within sight or hearing of the 
patient. 

5th. Let it be prepared without her knowledge ; and insist 
upon its being taken immediately upon being presented, for the 
longer her mind is permitted to dwell upon it, the more abhor- 
rent it will become. 

Gth. Endeavor to destroy the taste and smell as much as pos- 
sible, by any appropriate means, when it has not been done by 
the apothecary or physician. 

7th. Let the mouth be well rinsed with the acid after taking 
it, and let a swallow or two of lemonade, or some other admi* 
Bible drink, be taken. 



238 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

889. Plasters and Poultices — Mustard Plasters, — Take a suf- 
ficient quantity of bread crumbs finely rubbed, add mustard in 
proportion to the required strength ; form a poultice of the 
proper consistency, by adding vinegar or water. Dr. Wood 
thinks water preferable, as he is of the opinion that vinegar de- 
stroys an essential property of the mustard. Mustard employed 
for this purpose should be whole grain, fresh as can be procured, 
and bruised or mashed in a mortar, or by any other convenient 
means. When mustard cannot be procured, horse radish leaves 
may be substituted ; they must be rolled with a rolling-pin, to 
mash and make soft the hard stems, and withered by pouring 
over them a little scalding w^ater. 

After they have been applied, the feet must be frequently ex. 
amined to see that they do not get cold. Often more harm 
than good is done by the nurse neglecting this part of her duty- 
Burdock and cabbage leaves are frequently directed to be ap- 
plied to the feet ; they are prepared in the same manner, and 
require the same attention. 

890. S^iice Plaster, — Pulverized cloves, cinnamon, and Cay- 
enne pepper, half an ounce each ; mix, and add flour and wine 
of galls, or diluted spirits, to form this plaster ; lay it hot on 
the region of the stomach. It is excellent for pains and spasms. 

891. Aluw. Cataplasm. — Take any quantity of the white of 
eggs ; agitate it with a large lump of alum, till it be coagulated. 

892. Cataplasm of common Salt, — Take crumbs of bread, and 
linseed meal, of each equal parts ; water, saturated with salt, a 
sufficient quantity to give it a proper consistency. 

This puultice may be applied to the indolent swellings of the 
glands, in scrofulous habits, w^here the patient is deprived of 
the benefit of the sea air and water. A constant use of it will 
frequently occasion great inflammation of the skin, requiring 
a suspension of its use for a few days; but as soon as the 
inflammation subsides, it should be repeated. By the use of 
this poultice, strumous humors, and scrofulous enlargements, 
of a chronic naiure, have been totally dispersed. 



893. Cerate of Cuntharides. — Take of spermaceti ointment, 
six drachms ; cantharides, in fine powder, one drachm. Mix 
them together. 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID, 239 

This is the proper application to keep up a constant discharge 
from the part to which a blister has been applied. 

S94. Bark Poultice, — Take of Peruvian bark, one ounce: 
sprinkle it over a piece of thick muslin of the required size ; 
take another piece of the same size; lay it over the bark, and 
quilt them together, to keep the bark to its place; moisten h 
with brandy or vinegar. Some of the aromatics may be used 
in conjunction with the bark, if indicated. 

Let it be worn over the stomach and bowels. It has proved 
singularly beneficial in cases of obstinate intermittents, and 
debilitv arising therefrom. 



895, Mush Poultice. — Mush poultices are sometimes ordered ; 
this constitutes an invaluable application in cases of violent 
pain in the stomach and bow^els, such as colic, cramp, dec. It 
is made by simply boiling the corn-meal until it attains the 
proper consistency. It must be spread on a cloth, and applied 
as warm as can be endured. We have known the most invet- 
erate cases relieved by it in fifteen minutes. — Shore, 



rOOD FOR THE SICK AND FOR CHILD-REN. 

896. A few rules, the ret^ons for which may be found in the 
Introductory Remarks of '' Mrs. Hale^s New Cook Book,'' 
will be of some advantage here : — 

First. Select those substances that are the most soluble — 
that are readily converted into chyle by the gastric juice. 

Second. Those that experience has shown to be the most 
nutritious. 

Third. Those that contain the least amount of stimulus. 

Fourth. These to be given in quantity and frequency pro 
portioned to the general strength or debility of the patient. 

By careful observation, the feelings of the invalid will be 
found to furnish the most unequivocal evidence of the truth of 
the foregoing principles — any deviation from which will soon 
be attended with syniptoms more or less unpleasant. 

897. Arrow-root — Contains, in small bulk, a greater propor- 
tion of nourishment than any other farnaceous substance yet 
known. 



240 MKs. hale's receipts for the million. 

Take of arrow-root, one table-spoonful ; sweet milk, half a 
pint ; boiling-water, half a pint : boil these together for a few 
moments. 



898. Arrow-root Jelly , — Take one spoonful of arrow-root, and 
cold water sufficient to form a paste ; add one pint of boiling 
water: stir it briskly, and boil it a few minutes, when it will 
become a smooth, clear jelly. A little sugar and sherry wine 
may be added, for debilitated patients ; but for infants, a drop 
or two of the essence of caraway-seed or cinnamon is preferable, 
wine being very apt to become acid in the stomach of infants, 
and thus disagree with the bowels. 

899. Sago. — Take two .table-spoonfuls of sago, and one pint 
of boiling water ; stir together, and boil gently, until it thick- 
ens. Wine, sugar, and nutmeg may be added, according to 
circumstances. 



900. Boiled Flour, — Take of fine flour, one pound ; tie it up 
in a linen cloth as tight as possible, and, after frequently dip- 
ping it in cold water, dredge the outside with flour, till a crust 
is formed round it, which will prevent the water soaking into it 
while boiling. It is then to be boiled until it becomes a hard, 
dry mass. 

Two or three spoonfuls of this may be grated, and prepared 
in the same manner as arrow-root, for which it forms an excel- 
lent substitute, and can be obtained in the country, where, 
perhaps, the other cannot. 



901. A nourishing Jelly for a Sick Person. — Put into a stone 
jar or jug, a set of calf's-feet, cut in pieces, a quart of milk, 
five pints of water, a little mace, half an ounce of isinglass, 
and a handful of hartshorn shavings. Tie some brown paper 
over the jug, and put it into the oven with household bread. 
When done, strain it through a sieve ; and when cold, take off 
the fat. Some of it may occasionally be warmed up with wine 
and sugar. It is good taken as broth, with herbs. 

902. Restorative, — One ounce of candied eringo-root, one 
ounce of sago, one ounce of pearl-barley, and one ounce of rice. 
Boil them in four quarts of water, till reduced to half that 
quantity. Take a dessert-spoonful either in milk or wine. 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 241 

903. Vegetable Soup, — Take one turnip, one potato, and 
one onion; let them be sliced, and boiled in one quart of water 
for an hour; add as much salt and parsley as is agreeable, and 
pour the whole on a slice of toasted bread. 



904. JSg^ Gruel, — Boil a pint of new milk ; beat two new- 
laid eggs to a light froth, and pour in while the milk boils ; 
stir them together thoroughly, but do not let them boil, 
sweeten it with the best of loaf sugar, and gfate in a whole 
nutmeg; add a little salt, if you like it. Drink half of it while 
it is warm, and the other half in two hours. It is said to be 
good for the dysentery, as well as nourishing. 



905. Bice Jelly. — Boil a quarter of a pound of rice-flour with 
half a pound of loaf-sugar, in a quart of water, till the whole 
becomes one glutinous mass ; then strain off the jelly, and let it 
stand to cooL This food is very nourishing and beneficial to 
invalids. 



906. Gruds. — Have ready a pint of boiling water, and mix 
three large spoonfuls oi finely-sifted oat-meal, rye, or Indian, 
in cold water; pour it into the skillet while the water boils; 
let it boil eight or ten minutes. Throw in a large handful of 
raisins to boil, if the patient is well enough to bear them. 
When put in a bowl, add a little salt, white sugar, and nutmeg. 

907. Stewed Prunes, — Stew them very gently in a small 
quantity of water, till the stones slip out Physicians consider 
them safe nourishment in fevers. 



DRINKS FOR THE SICK. 

908. Water is the beverage prepared by the bountiful Creator 
to allay the thirst of all living creatures on the earth; and 
when the bare quenching of thirst is the object, clear, pure cold 
water is the best drink that can be given : but, when other 
objects are to be attained, a combination becomes necessary, 
into which, generally, enters an acid, an alkali, a stimulus, 
a tonic, or some article of nourishment. In bilious diseases, 
acidulated drinks are often found beneficial — and one of the 
best of these is in the form of lemonade^. 



242 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

009. Lemonade, — Take fresh lemon-juice, four ounces; fresh 
and very thin-peeled lemon, half an ounce; white sugar, four 
ounces ; boiling water, three pints. Let this mixture stand till 
cold, then strain for use. As this drink sometimes causes pain 
in the bowels, it should not be drank too freel^^ 



910. A'pjpU'Water , — Take one tart apple of ordinary size, 
well baked ; let it be well mashed ; pour on it one pint of boil- 
ing water; beat them well together; let it stand to cool, and 
strain it off for use. Add loaf-sugar, if the patient desire it. 

911. Vinegar Mixture. — Take of good vinegar three ounces*, 
w^ater, one pint ; loaf sugar, two-and-a-half ounces. 



ALKALESCENT DRINKS. 

912. These are used for what is commonly termed, a bout 
stomach — heart-hum — arising from indigestion. The following 
is the combination employed by an eminent physician, in his 
own case. 



913. Dyspeptic Ley, — Take of hickory ashes, 1 quart; soot, 
two ounces ; boiling water, 1 gallon. Mix, and let them stand 
for twenty-four hours, frequently stirring the ingredients ; then 
pour off the ley, and bottle it up. A tea-cup of this liquor may 
be given three times a-day. 



STIMULATING DRINKS. 

914. These are given in cases of great debility. Madeira, 
sherry, or port wines are usually combined with some other 
fluid, like the following. 



915. Wine Whey. — Take of fresh cow's milk, half a pint 5 
white Madeira wine, one ounce. Boil the milk, then add the 
wino. 



916. Mustard Whey, — Cow's mijk, 1 pint; bruised mustard 
seed, one ounce; simmer together till the curd separates, then 
ftdd half a pint of Madeira wine. A spoonful of this to be 
taken every hour or two, in low fevers and cases of debilitated 
stomachs. 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 243 



TONIC DRINKS. 

917. Decoction of Peruvian Bark, — Peruvian bark, bruised, 
one ounce ; cold water, one pint. Boil together for ten minutes, 
then add half an ounce of Virginia snake-root, and two drachms 
of orange-peel, bruised. Keep the infusion near the fire for 
half an hour, in a close vessel. A wine-glassful may be taken 
every hour. 

918. Columho Root and Ginger, — Columbo root, bruised, one 
ounce ; ginger, two drachms ; boiling water, one pint. Let them 
infuse one hour by the fire ; and give of the strained liquor 
(cold) a wine-glassful every two hours. 

This infusion, when freely used, has proved successful in 
bowel complaint (chronic diarrhea) of long standing. 

919. Peruvian Bark and Valerian. — For this decoction, take 
Peruvian bark, bruised, one ounce ; water, one pint ; take of 
Valerian root, one ounce ; boiling water, one pint ; infuse for 
one hour and strain. Add the decoction of bark. to this infu- 
sion, and give a tea-cupful, cold, three or four times a-day. 

This is chiefly employed in rheumatic headache, in which it is 
sometimes very serviceable. It was a favorite prescription of the 
late Dr. Parrish. 



920. Chamomile and Orange-peel. — For this infusion, take 
chamomile-flowers, one ounce; orange-peel, half an ounce; cold 
water, three pints ; soak together twenty -four hours. Take a 
tea-cupful four times a-day. 

The chamomile infusion is more agreeable to the taste when 
cold, and is less apt to spoil than when made of boiling water. 



921. Wild Cherry 'tree Bark, — Take of this bark, dried and 
bruised, one ounce ; orange-peel, bruised, two drachms ; water, 
one pint. Boil the bark alone for ten minutes, then add the 
orange-peel. Take a wine-glassful, cold, twice a-day. 

922. Dog-wood Bark, — Dog-wood bark, bruised, one ounce ; 
water, one pint. Boil for twenty or thirty minutes and strain. 
A wine-glassful may be given every hour. This is a very good 
•ubstitute for Peruvian bark in fever-and-ague. 



244 MRS. HALE*S RECEIPTS S"OR THE MILLION, 

923. Sage Tea, — Night sweats have been cured, when more 
powerful remedies had failed, by fasting morning and night, 
and drinkmg cold sage tea constantly and freely. 

924, Gentian-root Infusion, — Gentian-root, half an ounce ; 
orange-peel, pounded, two drachms ; hot water, one pint. Let 
these stand an hour. This will be found useful in debility of 
the digestive organs. , A wine-glassful may be given every two 
or three" hours. 



925. Infusion for Rheumatism^ — One ounce of gum-guaiacurr* 
must be bruised and put into a pint of French brandy, in which 
it must remain for at least thirty hours. When the gum is 
dissolved, shake the bottle, and pour a little of this infusion into 
rather more than a wine-glassful of tepid water ; take this at 
bed-time, for three nii^hts. 



926. Mixture for Rheumatism, — One ounce of salad mustard 
must be simmered in a pint of soft water, till the liquor is re- 
duced to half a pint; strain it through muslin, and add a pint 
of milk, fresh from the cow. Let it bod only two minutes, and 
take a small tea-cupful, miik-vrarm, night and morning. 



NUTRITIVE DRINKS. 

927. The best Method of obtaining jpure Soft Water for Medi- 
cinal Purposes, without distilling it, — Place an earthen pan in 
the fields, at a considerable distance from the smoke of any 
town, to catch the rain a;S it falls. People living in the country, 
can easily save this clean, pure rain-water. Set it for an hour 
in a cool cellar, or put ice into it, and it is the most reviving 
drink for a thirsty invalid. 

928. Toast and Water. — Toast thin slices of bread on both 
sides carefully ; then pour cold water over the bread and cover 
it tight for one hour ; or use boiling water, and let it cool. 

929. Waters for cooling Droughts of Preserved or Fresh 
Fruits — Apple Water ^ Lemon Water , dtc, — Po«r boiling water 
on the preserved or fresh fruits, sliced j or s(jueeze out the juice, 
boil it with sugar, and add water* ♦ 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 245 

930. Barley Water, — ^Take pearl barley, twa ounces ; wash 
It, till it be freed from dust, in cold water : afterwards boil it 
in a quart of water for a few minutes, strain off the liquor, and 
throw it away. Then boil it in four pints and a half of watei, 
until it be reduced one half. 



931. Laxative Whey. — Take of the dried buds of the damask 
rose, one ounce ; rennet whey, one quart. .Let them stand to 
gether twelve hours, then strain off the liquor, and add of crys 
tals of tartar, and white sugar, a suitable proportion, to render 
it more active, and at the same time more palatable. 

932. Wine Whey. — Wine whey is a cooling and safe drink 
in fevers. Set half a pint of sweet milk at the fire, pour in one 
glass of wine, and let it remain perfectly still, till it curdles; 
when the curds settle, strain it, and let it cool. It should not 
get more than blood-warm. A spoonful of rennet-water hastens 
the operation. Make palatable with loaf-sugar and nutmeg, if 
the patient can bear it. 

933. Lemon Syrup^for a Cough. — To a pint and a half of water, 
add two large poppy-heads, and two large lemons. Boil them 
till they are soft, press the lemons into the water, strain the 
liquor, and add half a drachm of saffron, and half a pound of 
brown sugar-candy, pounded. Boil all together till the sugar- 
candy is dissolved ; stir the whole till you perceive it will 
jelly ; strain it a second time, and take the seeds from the 
poppies. 

934. Turnip Syrup ^ for a Cold or Affection of the Lungs. — 
Roast twelve or more fine turnips in an apple roaster, press the 
juice from them, and add sugar-candy to your taste. Take a 
tea-cupful at night and in the morning. 



935. Rose Gargle. — Take of red rose-buds, dried, half an 
ounce ; boiling water, two pints ; diluted vitriolic acid, three 
drachms ; mix these together, macerate for half an hour, and 
draw off the liquor. Sweeten with an ounce of honey. 



936. Ifetergent Gargle. — Borax powder, two drachms ; rose> 
water, six ounces ; honey of roses, one ounce. Mix together. 
To be used in the thrush. 



2i6 MRS. bale's receipts for the milliox. 

937. Common Gargle, — Honey-water, seven ounces; honey 
of roses, six drachms; vinegar, half an ounce; tincture ci 
myrrh, two drachms. Mix these together. 



938. Starch Injection,— -Take of the jelly of starch, foui 
ounces ; linseed oil, half an ounce. Mix them over a gentle 
heat, and add forty drops of tincture of opium. To be used in 
alvine fluxes, to allay the irritation which occasions constant 
tenesmus. 



939. Spermaceti Ointment. — Take of spermaceti, half an 
ounce; white wax, two ounces; olive oil, four ounces. Melt 
them together over a slow fire, and keep stirring till cold. 



940. Elder-Jlower Ointment, — Gather the buds or earliest 
flowers of the elder-bush ; simmer these in fresh butter, or 
sweet lard ; it makes a healing and cooling ointment for the 
skin, in cutaneous diseases. 



941. Elder-flower Poultice, — A poultice of elder-flower tea 
and biscuit, is good as a preventive to mortification. 

942. White-bean Poultice, — Nothing is so good to take down 
swellings, as a soft poultice of stewed white beans, put on in a 
thin muslin bag, and renewed every hour or two. 



A FEW SIMPLE MIXTURES, &c. 

943. Squill Mixture, — Take of the milk of ammoniacum, 
four ounces; syrup of squills,. three ounces; mix them together. 
Dose, two large spoonsful every sixth hour. It is efficacious in 
coughs, asthma, and oppression on the chest. 

944. Chalk Mixture.— Take of prepared chalk, one ounce; 
double refined sugar, six drachms; gum arable, in powder, one 
ounce ; water, two pints. Mix them together. 



945. Camphor Mixture. — Take of camphor, one drachm ; rec- 
tified spirit of wine, a few drops. Rub them together. Add 
half an ounce of double refined sugar and one pint of boiling 
distilled, or rain water. When cold, strain off* the liquor. 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, mrRSE AND MAID. 24:1 

94G. Infusion of Senna. — Take of senna leaves, one ounce 
and a half; ginger, in powder, one drachm ; of boiling distilled, 
or rain water, one pint. Macerate for an hour. When cold, 
strain off the liquor. 



947. Cordial Julep, — Take of peppermint water, four ounces ; 
pimento water, two ounces; compound spirit of ammonia, 
tincture of castor, of each two drachms. Mix them together. 
Dose, two large spoonsful. 



948. Mucilage of Quince Seed, — Take of quince seeds, one 
drachm ; rain or distilled water, half a pint. Boil over a gen- 
tle fire, until the liquor becomes thick and viscid. 

049. Lime Water. — Take of quick lime, eight ounces ; rain 
or distilled water, twelve pints. Suffer them to stand together 
one hour, then decant the liquor. 



950. Alum Whey, — Take of alum, two drachms; cow's milk, 
one pint. Boil them together, until the curd be formed ; then 
strain off the liquor, and add spirit of nutmeg, two ounces; 
syrup of cloves, one ounce. 

It is employed with advantage in diabetes, in uterine and 
other fluxes. 



951. Whortleberries, — Whortleberries, commonly called 
huckleberries, dried, are a useful medicine for children. Made 
into tea, and sweetened with molasses, they are very beneficial, 
when the system is in a restricted state, and the digestive pow- 
ers out of order. 



952. Blackberries, — Blackberries are extremely useful, in 
cases of dysentery. To eat the berries is very healthy ; tea, 
made of the roots and leaves is beneficial; and a syrup made 
of the berries is still better. Blackberries have sometimes 
effected a cure when physicians despaired. 



953. Method of causing Children to cut their Teeth easily. — 
Feed them with an ivory spoon and boat — to be made thick, 
round, and smooth at the edges. Ivory being of the same 
hardness and texture as the jaws and tender teeth, the ^ums 



248 MRS. Hale's receipts fob the milliok. 

are not hurt or injured, but, when they are thus pressed, faci- 
litate the teeth in their progress ; whereas, the silver imple- 
ments, being of a hard texture, and the edges made thin, bruise 
and wound the gums, and make a hard seam ; so that the teeth 
cannot make their way direct, and, if they do cut, come irregu- 
larly ; so that the operation of lancing is frequently absolutely 
necessary, which, of course, must prejudice the teeth, as some 
are exposed before the time they are fit to cut. 

By this method, fevers, convulsions, &c., owing to the teeth 
being not able to find their way through the hard seam, may 
be prevented. It must be often observed, that children cry 
much when feeding, as if ill, or disgusted with their food ; 
whereas it is frequently owing to quite the contrary ; for, being 
hungry, and over eager to take their food, they press hard, 
through eagerness, on the boat and spoon, which, being sharp, 
bruises and cuts the gums, and consequently causes great paiu, 
which, by the ivory implements, will be prevented. Those 
who cannot afford ivory, may have horn or wood, or even pew- 
ter is greatly preferable to silver, provided the edges are madq 
thick, round, and smooth. The wooden sort, unless they are 
kept very sweet and clean, on that very account, are the least 
eligible, and should be made, however, of box, or such hard 
and close-textured wood as is the least liable to be tainted by 
the milky food. 

954. Rules for the Preservation of the Teeth and Gums, — 
The teeth are bones, thinly covered over with a fine enamel, 
and this enamel is more or less substantial in different persons. 
Whenever this enamel is worn through by too coarse a powder, 
or too frequently cleaning the teeth, or eaten through by a 
scorbutic humor in the gums, the tooth cannot remain long 
sound, any more than a filbert-kernel can, when it has been 
penetrated by a worm. 

The teeth, therefore, are to be cleaned, but with great pre- 
caution ; for, if you wear the enamel off faster by cleaning the 
outaide than nature supplies it within, your teeth will suffer 
more by this method, than perhaps by a total neglect. 

955. Stammering. — Impediments in the speech may be cured, 
where there is no raal-formation of the organs of articulation, 
by pej'^everance, for three or four months, in the simple remedy 
of reading aloud, with the teeth closed, for at least two houri 
in the course of each day. 



NtTRSE AND MAID. 249 

956. Of Preserven^ and Rules for the Preservation of Sight, — 
Though it may be impossible to prevent the absolute decay of 
sight, whether arising from age, partial disease, or illness, yet, 
by prudence and good management, its natural failure may 
certainly be retarded, and the general habits of the eyes strength- 
ened, which good purposes will be promoted by a proper atten- 
tion to the following maxims : — 

1. Never sit for any length of time in absolute gloom, or 
exposed to a blaze of light. The reasons on which this rule is 
founded, prove the impropriety of going hastily from one ex- 
treme to the other, whether of darkness or of light, and show 
us that a southern aspect is improper for those whose sight is 
weak and tender. 

2. Avoid reading small print. 

3. Never read in the dark ; nor, if the eyes be disordered, 
by candle-light. Happy those who learn this lesson betimes, 
and begin to preserve their sight before they are reminded by 
pain of the necessity of sparing them. The frivolous attention 
to a quarter of an hour in the evening, has cost numbers the 
perfect and comfortable use of their eyes for many years ; the 
mischief is effected imperceptibly — the consequences are in- 
evitable. 

4. The eye should not be permitted to dwell on glaring 
objects, more particularly on first waking in the morning ; the 
sun should not, of course, be suffered to shine in the room at 
that time, and a moderate quantity of light only be admitted. 
It is easy to see that, for the same reasons, the furniture of a 
bed should be neither altogether of a white or red color ; indeed, 
those whose eyes are weak, would find considerable advantage 
in having green for the furniture of their bed-chamber. Nature 
confirms the propriety of the advice given in this rule ; for the 
light of the day comes on by slow degrees, and green is the 
universal color she presents to our eyes. 

5. The long-sighted should accustom themselves to read with 
rather less light, and somewhat nearer to the eye than what 
they naturall}^ like; while those that are short-sighted, should 
rather use themselves to read with the book as far off as pos- 
sible : by this means, both would improve and strengthen 
their sight; while a contrary course will increase its natural 
imperfections. 

There is nothing which preserves the sight longer than always 
using, both in reading and writing, that moderate degree of light 
wiiich is best suited to the eye : too little, strains them— too 



250 MRS. bale's keceipts for the million. 

great a quantity, dazzles and confounds them. The eyes are 
Jess hurt by the want of light, than by the excess of it : too little 
light never does any harm, unless they are strained by efforts 
to see objects to which the degree of light is inadequate ; but 
too great a quantity has, by its own power, destroyed the sight. 
Thus, many have brought on themselves a cataract, by fre- 
quently looking at the sun or a fire ; others have lost their sight 
by being brought too suddenly from an extreme of darkness 
into the blaze of day. How dangerous the looking on bright, 
luminous objects, is to the sight, is evident from its effects in 
those countries which are covered, the greater part of the year, 
with snow, where blindness is exceedingly frequent, and w^here 
the traveller is obliged to cover his eyes with crape, to prevent 
the dangerous and often sudden effects of too much light : even 
the untutored savage tries to avoid the danger, by framing a 
little wooden case for his eyes, with only two narrow slits. A 
momentary gaze at the sun will, for a time, unfit the eyes for 
vision, and render them insensible to impressions of a milder 
nature. 



957. The Feet — Should be washed in cold water every morn- 
ing, and wnped very dry. Stockings, if too smallf cripple the 
feet as surely as small shoes. Always be careful to give the 
foot room enough, and you will be rarely troubled with corns. 
When the toe-nails have a tendency to turn in, so as to be 
painful, the nail should alw^ays be kept seraped very thirty and 
as near the flesh as possible. As soon as the corner of the nail 
can be raised up out of the flesh, it should be kept from again 
entering, by putting a tuft of fine lint under it. 

958. For Soi^e Feet. — The thin w hite skin which comes from 
suet, is excellent to bind upon the feet, for chilblains. Rubbing 
with Castile soap, and afterw^ards with honey, is likew^ise highly 
recommended. 



959. A Vapor-Bath at home. — Place strong sticks across a 
tub of water, at the boiling-point, and sit upon them, entirely 
enveloped in a blanket, feet and all. The steam from the water 
will be a vapor-bath. Some people put herbs into the water. 
Steam-baths are excellent for severe colds, and for some disorders 
in the bowels. They should not be taken without the advice 
of an experienced nurse or physician. Great care should be taken 
not to renew the cold after ; it would be doubly dangerous. 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 251 



RULES FOR WOMEN SERVANTS. 

960. Of the Coohmaid. — When a young woman undertakes 
the situation of cookmaid in a family, where only one or two 
other servants are kept, she will have many duties to perform, 
besides preparing and dressing the provisions, although that is 
her principal business. What those duties are, will, of course, 
depend very much upon the habits of the family with whom 
she lives ; and whether thei^e is a man-servant or a boy kept ; 
as, if not, the cleaning of knives, shoes, and various things that 
would be done by them, become the business of the cook-maid. 



961. General duties of the Cookmaid, — The part of the house 
in which her chief work lies is the kitchen ; but she is also ex- 
pected to clean the passage or hall, the stone door-steps, the 
bell-pull, name-plate, knocker, and all things outside the house 
which are kept cleaned ; also, the kitchen stairs, pantry, ser- 
vants' offices, and areas; and, in many families, the dining- 
room as well as the kitchen windows, and the light over or at 
the sides of the hall door. It is her place to scour the dresser, 
table, shelves, &;c., in the kitchen and pantry^ and to keep both 
places clean and in order ; to wash the plates and dishes, to 
keep the saucepans and all other vessels used in cooking, or for 
keeping eatables in, perfectly clean, so that they may always 
be ready for use ; to wash and keep the pudding-cloths sweet 
and clean ; to sweep the carpet, and clean the grate, fender, 
fire-irons, and hearth, in the breakfast-parlor ; to clean the 
kitchen candlesticks ; to assist the housemaid in making the 
beds after they have been laid open to air ; to answer the door 
to the trades-people ; and, if there is no man-servant, nor boy 
kept, to brush the clothes and shoes of the gentlemen of the 
family. 

It is of great importance that the cookmaid should be cleanly 
in her person, as well as in her cooking ; and that she should 
never be seen with dirty hands, which may be easily prevented 
by using thick gloves, when blacking a stove or doing any 
other dirty work, and always washing her hands as soon as 
she has finished. Nothing can be more disagreeable than to 
see the person who prepares one's meals with dirty handa 
or apron. 



252 MRS. Hale's reckifts for the million, 

962. Arrangements for Work in the Kitchen, — The cookraaid 
should always be furnished with her own pails, brushes, flan- 
nels, and everything she requires for her own work, and should 
never use the housemaid's pails or brushes, nor suffer the 
housemaid to use hers. A strict attention to this rule pre- 
vents much discomfort and confusion, and the work is sure to 
be done with more regularity, and much time saved. 



963. WfyrJc in the Breakfast-room. — Your work in the break 
fast-room generally is to light the fire, clean the stove, fender, 
fire-irons, and hearth ; take up the ashes, sweep the carpet, 
shake the hearth-rug, and lay it down again ; but this is some- 
times varied in different families. If you find there are more 
cinders than you can use for lighting the fire, you should take 
them down to burn in the kitchen. 



964. Of Neatness in the Breakfast-room, — In order to avoid 
soiling the carpet in the breakfast-parlor, while you are lighting 
the fire and cleaning the stove, you should have a piece of drug- 
get, about a yard wide and two yards long, or cloth of some 
kind, to lay down ; but whichever you use, always use it the 
dirty side upwards. Without this precaution, the most care- 
ful person cannot prevent the carpet from getting dirty before 
the fire-place. 

965, Punctuality in Servants. — Punctuality is a very essen- 
tial quality in a cookmaid, who ought to regulate her work so 
that the dinner should always be ready at the appointed time ; 
and to avoid any mistake in this particular, she should know 
precisely the length of time required to cook each kind of f<jod, 
according to the taste of those for whom she cooks, and then 
she should allow herself about fifteen to twenty minutes more, 
to take up the dinner, and for any little hindrance that may 
occur, she will be tolerably exact. The best means of being 
punctual is to keep everything in its proper place, and fit for 
use, so that no time may be lost in looking for this thing or 
that, or in having to clean any utensils that may be wanted for 
cookincr. 



966. Economy in the Kitchen, — Never waste anything, but 
have places and purposes for all articles in your keeping. 
Habits of economy are easily acquired, and the cookmaid 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 253 

rould do well to consider how much more valuable she must 
be to her employers, and how much more she will be respected, 
if she be careful, and make the most of the property that is 
intrusted ^o her charge, than if she uses it wastefully. 

967. Cleaning the Hall^ dc. — If you are quick with the 
breakfast-parlor work, you will, very likely, have time to clean 
the door-steps and passage before breakfast, which is much bet- 
ter than leaving them till afterwards : but this will, of course, 
depend on the breakfast-hour, as you must not, on any account, 
neglect to see that the water in the kettle is boiling, the urn- 
iron hotf and everything ready to take up the moment it is 
wanted. 



968. Making Breakfast — If you have toast to make, or bacon 
to cook, take care to have a clear fire, so that it may be done 
quickly, when wanted, and not before ; for both toast and ba- 
con should be hot from the fire, and not suffered to stand after 
they are done. Dry toast should be thin and crisp ; to keep it 
so, set it on its edge in the toast-rack, directly it is made. 

Never boil eggs by guess ; if you have no clock in the 
kitchen, you should have a sand-glass or egg-boiler, for in 
guessing at the time, it is not possible to be quite exact, and 
half a minute too much or too little will spoil an egg. It is the 
duty of the cookmaid to prepare the breakfast ; and that of the 
housemaid to carry it up to the breakfast-parlor. 

969. Cold Meats at Breakfast. — In some families, whatever 
cold meat or cold poultry may have been left from the previous 
day, is served up at breakfast ; in which case it is the cook- 
maid's duty to send it up, laid out. neatly on clean and rather 
small-sized dishes, with breakfast plates and small clean knives 
and forks ; sometimes it will require a little putting to rights, 
hy trimming, and garnishing with a few sprigs of parsley, 
which, of course, she will attend to. • 



970. To arrange for Children, dc. — If the children of the 
family breakfast in the nursery, or require to go to school 
early, you will, most probably, be expected to cut their bread 
and butter, and get their breakfast ready for them ; or, at all 
events, assist in doing so. It is your place also to get the 
kitchen breakfast ready for yourself and the housemaid, <Sjo. j 



%4 MRS. bale's receipts for the million, 

and it will materially add to the comfort of your situation, if 
you take care to keep your table-cloth clean, and neatly folded^ 
so that it may not have an untidy appearance when spread 
upon the table ; and let the kjiives, and all the things you use 
for yourself and fellow servants, be clean like those you send 
up to the table of the family. 



971. Taking Directions for Dinner, — In most families, it is 
^he custom of the lady of the house, to go into the kitchen ev- 
' ery morning, to make arrangements with the cook about the 
dinner, and to give out from the store-closet such things as may 
be required for the day's use,, either by the cookmaid or house- 
li^id... You must then remember to ask for whatever you will 
want, so that you may not have to give trouble a second time. 
Some. ladies prefer that the cookmaid shoijd come into the 
parlor, to receive directions. Should this be the custom, you 
should make it a rule to wash your hands, and put on a clean 
apron, before you go in. There are some foolish servants, who 
have a mist^en notion that a lady should not trouble herself 
much with her kitchen; but every one ought to have the good 

, sense to know that it is the province and duty of a mistress to 

superintend th^ ofder and management of every part of her 

household ; and those servants who are conscious that they 

waste not, and pejf(!&'m their duties to the best of their ability, 

. l.will never feet- an objection; but, on the contrary, will be 

■ pleased that thoir mistress should see that they do so. 



0J2. Making £eds\ c&c. — When you have taken orders about 
y»dinner, you should go up into the bed-rooms, to assist the 
Jiouse-maid in making the- beds — having already washed your 
' hands, and put on your clean bed-apron. It is very proper to 
keep a bed-apron entirely for this purpose, one that will wrap 
quite round you, and tie together behind ; and to take it off, 
and fold it tip, as soon as. the beds are made. It will serve 
for a week, with care ; therefore, if you make a rule to put 01:1 
a clean tire every Monday morning, the bed-clothes and furni- 
ture will never --get soiled by rubbing against your gown or 
clothes. Attention to such little niceties as these is so easy, 
that it is surprising any one should neglect them, particularly 
as they make all the difference between a good servant and a 
bad one^^- 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 255 

973. Arrangement of the Dinner -Table, — Always have the 
salt-cellars filled with fine clean salt, and the cruets and cruet- 
stand dusted ; and that each of the cruets are atout half-full 
of vinegar, oil, pepper, sugar, &c., such as they are intended to 
hold ; and although this is the housemaid's duty, it is only kind 
in the cookmaid to give the housemaid all the information she 
may require or ask for ; a good dinner will look very un- 
handsome, unless the housemaid takes care that the salts and 
cruets are clean, and sufficiently filled to accompany it to table. 
The housemaid should also see that the mustard-cruet is quite 
clean, before it is put on the table; for if the mustard is dried 
on the edges, or on the spoon, it has a very disagreeable appear- 
ance, and betokens an untidy servant. 



974. The Dinner-Hour^ and its Duties. — In order more surely 
to be correct to Hhe dinner-hour, allow yourself from fifteen 
to twenty minutes for taking up the dinner, and for any hin- 
drances that may occur; and take care to have the fire made up 
in proper time for cooking — regulating the size of it according 
to what you have to cook, it should be stirred as little as 
possible while you are cooking; indeed, a good cookmaid stirs 
her fire only once during her roasting, and that is when she 
turns the meat, or alters the hanging of it, at which times she 
takes the meat and dripping-pan away from the fire,- as stirring 
creates both dust and sm^oke ; but as dust or coal may, by acci- 
dent, fall into the dripping-pan, keep ready a dish-cloth, to 
wipe it out directly. Be mindful, also, to keep in the house 
a stock of the things that are commonly wanted, such as flour, 
salt, pepper, spices, &c. ; but always make a point of using up 
what you had, before you begin upon the fresh supply ; and 
be sure to put them away into their proper places, as you 
receive them — as mustard, pepper, spices, tea, coffee, &c., will 
spoil, if kept in the papers they are sent home in. 

975. Of Re-cooking. — In cities, where the master of the house 
is often engaged in business until late in the day, the dinner- 
hour may be as late as four or ^wq o'clock ; in that case, there 
is an eaily dinner for the children and servants, for whom a 
pudding is usuall}? to be made, it is a very material part of 
your business, to know how to dress over, nicely, anything left 

Ti'om the preceding day's dinner, so that it may be used in the 
kitchen, if not required in the dining-room, l^or this purpose, 



256 MRS. hale's eeceipts for the million. 

you should, when a joint is brought down from the dining-room, 
put it on a clean dish, and pour the gravj into a small basin 
or jelly-pot,* and you will find it very useful in making nice, 
savory dishes of cold meat, or to put into hashes and stews, 
or warming up for gravy. 



976. Hot Plates for iJinner, — Before sending up dinner, take 
care that you have enough hot plates. It is better to heat a 
few more than the exact number, lest an extra one may be 
wanted. 



977. Serving up Dinner, — Whilst the dinner is being served 
up, the cook-maid may be required to assist, by taking the 
dishes to the door of the dining-parlor ; also, in some families, 
by taking them from the housemaid, or from the outside of the 
dining-room door, when they are done with, that the house- 
maid, if she waits at dinner, may not have to leave the room. 
And the cookmaid will save herself much time and trouble, 
if she gets her dish-tub, in the sink, half filled with hot water, 
so that she may put the dishes and plates into it the moment 
they are brought from the dinner-table. 

978. Washing Dishes, — The dirty dishes and plates should 
be put into a dish-tub of warm water, immediately they are 
taken from the dinner table; for, by this means, half the 
trouble of washing-up will be saved, as it will prevent the 
gravy, mustard, juice, &c., from cooling and drying on the 
plates and dishes. When you commence washing them, add 
sufficient boiling water to make it hot enough to wash them in, 
and with a dish-cloth wash them clean on both sides, one at a 
time. Rinse them immediately, in a pan full of cold water, 
part of which should stand under the tap, which should be 
turned a little on to keep it full. The reason for keeping the 
pan full of water and running over, is, that any grease, &;c., 
which may rinse off the plates and dishes, may swim over into 
the sink in the act of rinsing,, otherwise it would remain on the 
water, and make those you rinse, after the first few, look 
greasy, instead of clean and bright. 

979. Washing Saucepans^ Kettles^ <fcc, — When you have 
w^ashed all the dishes and plates used at dinner, as above di- 
rected, and put them in the rack to drain, the saucepans and 



MISTRESS, MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 257 

kettles which have been used for cooking, should next be 
cleaned. The proper plan is to fill them with cold water as 
soon as the food has been taken out of them, as, by this means, 
whatever may hang about the sides cannot stick close, nor dry 
on hard, and they will clean much more readily. If the insides 
are discolored or dirty, a little soda or wood-ash is the best 
thing to clean them with ; or, if they are very dirty, the wood- 
ashes, or some soda, must be boiled up in them. They should 
afterwards be well rinsed with boiling-hot water, wiped, and 
made perfectly dry, by being placed for some time bottom up- 
wards, before the kitchen fire. The upper rims of saucepans, 
and the rims and insides of the lids, must be kept quite clean. 
If tin saucepans are not completely dry, they will soon get 
rusty, and if copper ones are not perfectly cleaned and dried, 
they become poisonous. Never leave food of any kind in a 
saucepan to become cold. 

980. Washing Pudding -cloths^ dc, — Pudding-cloths^ should 
be washed as soon as possible after the puddings are taken out 
of them. They should be washed in clean warm water, with- 
out soap, rinsed and thoroughly dried before being folded and 
put in the kitchen drawer, otherwise they will give a musty 
smell to the puddings that are next boiled in them. The 
paste-brush, egg-whisk and sieves must also be washed, first in 
cold and then in warm water, and put away clean and dry, or 
they will spoil whatever you use them for afterwards. All 
things through which eggs are strained, should be washed, first 
in cold and then in hot water. 



981. Cleaning the Sink. — First, wn'pe into one corner and 
take up all the little bits of gristle, fat, or vegetables, or what- 
ever else may have collected in the sink ; and, if you live in or 
near to a town, throw it on the back part of the top of the 
kitchen fire; for, if thrown into the dust-bin, it will either entice 
rats or other vermin, or else cause an oflensive and unwhole- 
some smell. If forced down the sink holes, the same unplea- 
sant consequences will follow^, besides stopping-up and destroy- 
ing the drains. But if you live in the countiy where a pig is 
kept, it may be thrown into the pig tub with the dish washings^ 

You must next clean the sink, which, if of stone, is best done 
with a hard brush and a little soda ; or, if of lead, with the fol- 
lowing mixture : — One pennyworth of pearlash, one penny w^orth 

17 



258 ^iKS. bale's receipts for the million 

of soft-soap, and one pennyworth of fuljer's-earth, (the fullerV 
earth dried,) mixed together in a pipkin, or something of the 
kind, with a quart of water. About a table-spoonful of this on 
a piece of flannel will clean the leaden sink. 

982. Cleaning the Spit, Frying-2)an, dc, — The spit, if one ir 
used, must also be always perfectly cleaned when done wich. 
A little dripping rubbed on a hot frying-pan or gridiron, after 
cleaning it, will greatly remove -the smell and taste offish; but 
some persons rub a little salt well about the inside of a hot 
frying-pan, with a piece of clean paper, which also removes the 
taste of fish or onions. If these things are put away into damp 
places, they will soon become unfit for use. 

983. Cabbar/e-ivater to be throivn aivay. — Always remember 
that green water, that is, water in which cabbage, or any other ve- 
getable is boiled, should be thrown down the sink the moment 
the vegetables are out of it, while it is quite hot, and then a 
pailful of cold water thrown after it, will prevent the unhealthy 
smell arising from green water ; but if it be left till it is cold, 
or nearly cold before you throw it away, twenty pails of water 
thrown after it will not prevent the smeiT. 

984. Scalding Milk vessels. — Be careful to scald every vessel 
w^hich has contained milk, having previously let it stand for 
some time filled with cold water, and never let any other 
liquid be put into it till it has undergone this process ; or what- 
ever you put in will be spoiled. 

985. Cleaning Bread-pans, dc. — Your pan for keeping bread 
should be wn'ped out every day, and scalded once a week ; in 
the same way clean the cheese-pan, or both your bread and 
cheese will become mouldy and musty ; and cheese should 
always be kept standing on its rind ; and the rind should be 
scraped before it is sent to the table. 

98G. Keeping Beer. — You should not let beer stand in a pot 
or jug; but, if there be any left, put it into a clean bottle, with 
n tea-spoonful of sugar, and cork it tightly. 



987. Never suffer tv/o things to be put together, which would 
give to each other a disagreeable taste or flavor. Never cut 



NURSE AND MAIIT. 259 

bread, or butter, or meat, with a knife which has been used 
for cheese or onions, or the bread, butter, or meat will taste of 
them. Therefore, you should put the knife which you have 
used for these purposes, in some place separate from the other 
knives, and never allow it to be put with them until it has 
been properly cleaned. 

988. Washing Fickle and Preserve-Jai'S. — Whenever pickle 
or preserve-jars are empty, wash them well in cold water — dry 
them thoroughly — and put them in a dry place. If you wash 
pickle or preserve-jars in hot water, it will crack their glazed 
surface, and make them porous, which spoils them for use, as 
pickles and preserves require to have the air kept from them. 



989. Cleaning Dish-Covers. — Dish-covers should always be 
wiped and polished as soon as they are removed from the table. 
If this is done whilst they are warm, it will be but little trouble; 
but, if the steam be allowed to dry on them, you will find much 
difliculty in getting the tarnish off from the insides. When 
they are wiped and polished, hang theni up in their places im- 
mediately. 

990. Of the Paste-Board^ Rolling-Pin^ &c. — After making 
puddings or pastry, wash your rolling-pin and paste-board, 
without soap, and put it away quite dry. Never use, nor allow 
others to use, any of the lamily dinner or tea-service, in the 
kitchen ; as, if one thing be broken, it would perhaps spoil a 
valuable set; but, always use for cooking, the plates, dishes, 
and cups, provided fur that purpose, v;hich are usually plain, 
and though of course equally clean, are much less expensive. 
Keep the bread, cheese, butter, flour, dripping, milk, eggs, and 
every thing else you may require in cooking, in their distinct 
and separate places ; and be careful to put them away as soon 
as you have done with them. 

991. Of keeping Hot Water. — It is highly necessary that you 
should keep a plentiful supply of hot water, by constantly 
fiUing-up the boiler whenever water .is taken out of it. A self- 
acting boiler does not require to be filled, as it fills itself as 
fast as the water is drawn out; but you must be very careful 
in frosty weather, to watch whether the water continues to run ; 
for if the water in the pipes becomes frozen, and you allow the 



260 MRS. H ale's receipts for the million. 

boiler to get empty, the consequence is almost sure to be, that 
when the frost melts, the cold water comes suddenly into the 
hot boiler, and splits it. The damage can only be repaired by 
having a new boiler, which costs, perhaps, from ten to twenty- 
five dollars; so you may see how important it is that you 
should prevent so serious an accident. 



992. Of Ventilating Rooms. — Do not keep your kitchen 
always hot, and be sure you let in fresh air. U the attention 
of every master or mistress of a family turned to the ventilation 
of their dwelling, it would be greatly the means of insuring 
health. One single ventilator in the uppermost staircase win- 
dow, would effect a great deal. Great attention ought to be 
paid to letting the chamber-windows down from the top, fre- 
quently through the day, particularly where tc-e family sits. 



993. Of prepai'ing Tea. — When the tea-time arrives, it is 
your duty to cut the bread-and-butter, or make the toast. You 
should never send up more than one or two rounds of buttered 
toast at once, according to the number to partake of it, that it 
may be hot and fresh when it is handed roun^. You must cut 
off the crusts as close as you can, after it is made and buttered, 
if a tea-urn is used, it will be your duty to get it ready in time, 
and put in the boiling water when it is w^anted : you must also 
remember to make the urn-iron led-hot, by putting it into the 
kitchen fire after dinner, or at least for an hour before tea-time. 
When you use the tea-urn, be careful to do as follows: — 

Take care that the water boils, and that the urn-heater ia 
red-hot ; then, in the first place, dust the urn, and put the boiling 
water into it, before you put in the heater; and, to prevent 
giving an unpleasant taste, or spoiling the boiling water by 
dust, or particles of the hot iron, (which may rub off the heater 
as you are putting it into its place,) be careful to put on the 
lound rim, or ring, before you put in the red-hot heater ; and 
be sure, also, to avoid pouring any water into the place where 
the heater goes ; otherwise, when the iron is put in, the bteam 
jnay fly up in your face, and scald you seriously. Taking the 
urn up into the parlor or drawing-room, is the housemaid's 
business ; and she should not forget the rug to place it on, or 
the heat issuing from it will ceitainly spoil the polished table: 
and it is also the housemaid's business to empty the urn when 
done w^ith which she must be careful to turn upside down, to 
drain. 



MOTHER, NURSE AND MAID. 261 

994. Taking care of the Fire. — The cookm aid's last duties 
of the day, are — to take great care that the kitchen fire is so 
nearly out, as to be quite safe ; and that nothing is left hanging 
before the fire-place ; then she must see that the kitchen win- 
dows and shutters are fastened, and lock and bolt all the doors 
and windows that have not been fastened earlier in the evening. 



995. Cleaning Knives^ Forks ^ do. — If a lad or man-servant 
is kept, he cleans the steel knives and forks, as well as the 
shoes and boots; and also brushes the gentlemen's clothes: 
but, in that large number of families who keep no boy nor man, 
it becom.es the business of the cookmaid to clean the steel 
knives and forks. [See the best manner of preparing the knife- 
board, &c., in another part of this book.] 

996. Care of Table-Knives. — Be careful to keep a good edge • 
to your knives, and do your utmost to preserve them from 
notches, especially the carving-knife, otherwise a hot joint may 
get cold while the knife has to be sent from table to be sharp- 
ened. A ke'en edge may be given by cleaning alone, if care 
be taken, in passing the knife from you, not to let the edge 
lean on the board, but, in drawing it towards you, to lean with 
a little pressure or. the edge. 

The knives which are not in daily use, should, -after being 
wiped with a dry cloth, be put into the cases, or wrapped in 
\evy di-y brown paper, and so placed as not to touch each other, 
the same way as the cutlers keep them. Great care should be 
taken that the place in which they are put is perfectly dry — 
as all articles made of steel have a tendency to contract rust, 
that metal having the property of extracting damp from the 
atmosphere, or from anything moist near to it. If the ivory 
handles of the knives and forks get stained, or become discolor- 
ed, mix a table-spoonful of water with a few drops of spirits of 
salt — rub it well on with a little bit of clean rag — wash it ofT 
with cold water — and wipe them perfectly dry. 



997. Of cleaning Boots and Shoes. — Where no man-servant 
is kept, the cook or housemaid must clean the shoes and boots. 
First, scrape the dirt off the shoe with a wooden knife, or piece 
of firewood, cut to something of an edge. When the worst 
of the dirt is thus taken off, use your hard brush to remove 
the remainder, or the leather will never be bright. Stir tl>e 



262 MRS. rale's receipts for the million. 

blacking with a short fine sponge, tied round one end of it; 
and, with this, put some blacking on tlie blacking-brush, and 
black the shoe all over ; use the polishing-brush directly, while 
it remains damp, and rub it lightly, yet briskly, till the shoe 
shines perfectly bright. When boots or shoes are laid down 
before a fire to dry, Jet them be placed at a good distance, or 
the leather will harden and shrink, and the shoes get out of 
shape. 

998. Of cleaning Candlesticks. — It is the duty of the cook- 
maid to clean the chamber candlesticks used by the servants, 
and the candlesticks belonging to the kitchen (those used by 
the family in the'pailors, drawing-rooms, and best bed-rooms, 
belong to the housemaid's work). Before you commence, have 
a sheet of thick brown paper laid on a table, or on whatever 
else you intend to clean them, to save making a grease. Then 
scrape off the grease on to the brown paper with a piece of fire- 
w^ood, and put all you scrape off into your kitchen-stuff. The 
candlesticks should then be put, upside down, in the deepest 
candlestick, at a little distance from the fire, so that all the 
grease may melt, and drain into one. This grease should also 
be put into the kitchen stuff, and the candlesticks wiped per- 
fectly clean with the candlestick-rag, or with a cloth kept for 
that purpose. The polishing should be done with a little dry 
rotten-stone, or dry whiting, put on a leather. The cookmaid 
has usually a candle-box provided for her, into which she puts 
all the pieces of candle, iov kitchen use. This box should be 
lined with white paper, which should be frequently renewed, or 
the candles will become very dirty, and be unpleasant to burn, 
from bits of the snuif sticking to thenj. Always set the candles 
in the candlesticks in the foi-e part of the day, that they be 
ready when wanted, and that all the diity work may be done 
before cooking commences. 



999. Washing- Day. — If the washing be done at home, the 
cookmaid will have to assist"; and the changes of linen, and the 
kitchen thhigs, usually fall to her share. She generally fuld.s 
and irons all but the fine things and the dresses. It is usual 
also for her to fill the copper; and for the housemaid to son; 
the clothes ready for the wash. Much time as well as labor 
will be saved by preparing the clothes for the wash the day be- 
fore the washing-da)' ; that is by putting them in soak, tha 



MISTRESS, MQTHERj NURSE AND MAID. 263 

fine things and coarse things in difforent tubs, after having ex 
{iniiiied, and rubbed with soap such. places as are most dirty, 
such as the colkirs and wristbands of shirts, the parts of table 
chjths which are most soiled, and any place in the different arti 
cles which would require more than usual rubbing. Indeed, 
everything should be prepared the day before ; the copper filled 
with soft water, the tubs rinsed and wiped, inside and out 
(taking care that they do not leak). The best way to prevent 
the tubs from leaking, is to turn them bottom upvvards after 
using, and keep the bottom tilled with water, without which 
they will not only leak but fall to pieces, in summer weather. 



1000. Care^ of Clothes-lines, dx, — Gh^the^-lines, when done 
with, should be wiped quite clean, and put away dry in a bag, 
for future use, or they will dirty the clothes. A bag should 
also be kept for the pegs ; and both bags should be kept in a 
dry place. 



1001. Folding and Mangling, — Before you begin to fold the 
clothes, let the- board be quite clean and dry, and a clean linen 
cloth placed upon it. Separate those things w^hich are to be 
mangled, and those which are for rougli-drying. Turn sliirts, 
shifts, night-gowns, pillow-cases, petticoats, &;c., the right side 
outwards; fold them veiy, smoothly, and sprinkle them to a 
proper dampness for ironing. If the collai's, wristbands, and 
frills, or pleated front of a shirt, be dipped in a little starch, 
then into water, and rolled up without squeezing, it will bring 
the whole of the shirt to a proper dampness, when it has lain 
for some time. 

The articles usually niangled are, sheets, towels, table-linen, 
pillow-cases, and other straight things ; but if there be any 
folds, they will not look well when mangled. Pearl-buttons 
will break in the n)angle, and cut the cloth, therefore, all things 
with buttons, and even pillow-cases, if they have buttons, 
should not be manijrled. 



1002. Of Ironing. — The ironing-blanket should be made of 
a thick kind of flannel, called swan's-skin, and a coarse cloth 
should be spread between it and the board. When you are 
ironing, be careful to try your iron first upon some coarse 
article, or one of little value, for fear of its soiling or singeing 
the better clothes. Let the heat be in proportion to the article 



264 MRS. H ale's receipts for the million. 

you are about to iron, and be sure to make every part per 
fectly smooth. 

After they are ironed, the things should be hung upon the 
horse to air. The cookmaid is now done with the washing, 
as it is the housemaid's business to air them, and to place them 
in the drawers, when aired; but in many families, the putting 
of them away is done by the mistress of the house, or by some 
of the young ladies. 

In ironing the skirts of dresses, it is best and most proper to 
have a board about thirteen inches wide and four feet long, on 
which fasten, with tapes, an ironing-blanket ; place one end of 
it on a table, and the other end on the dresser, or something 
that is firm, of tl^e same height as the table. In using this 
board, pass it through the skirt, taking care that the wet part 
of the dress falls into a clothes-basket, or a cloth, which you 
must first put on the floor, under the middle of the board, to 
save the skirt from being soiled ; and turn the skirt of the dress 
round the board, as you iron it. 

1003. Save the Rags, — All rags of cotton or linen should be 
saved by the cookmaid ; they should never be thrown away 
because they are not^lean. Mop-rags, lamp-rags, all should 
be w^ashed, dried and put in the rag-bug. There is no need of 
expending soap on them ; just boil them out in the suds after 
you have done washing. 

Linen rags should be carefully saved ; for they are ex- 
tremely useful in sickness. If they have become dirty and 
worn by cleaning silver, &;c., wash them, and scrape them into 
lint. 



PART YL 

SOME HL\TS ABOUT AGRICULTURE, GARDENING, 
DOMESTIC ANIMALS, ETC. 

Of Soil, Hay and the Grains — Of Ver/etables- — Destroying Fer* 
rets, Beptiles, Eats and other Vermin — Mowers, Fruits, 
Trees — Thnher — Buildings, 

1004. Advantage of Knowing something about Agriculture, — 
In a work designed, chiefly, for women, it may seenn odd to find 
farming treated of, as though they needed such information. 
But while far the greater portion of American men* are till- 
ers of the soil, it would be questioning the good sense as w^ell 
as affection of their wives and daughters to suppose them indif- 
ferent to such pursuits. 

The husband will work with more pleasure, w^hen feeling his 
wife takes an interest in his employments. The daughter of a 
farmer should be ready to read her Other's books and papers 
on agriculture, w^henever he desires it, and assist in the garden, 
orchai'd, and among domestic animals, when such cases are 
suitable for her. 

So, trusting you have a garden-hoe and pruning-knife for 
your own use, and can assist in transplanting flowers and 
shrubs, I shall give' rules for these, and also a few hints ou 
other matters connected with country life and the economy of 
farming. These rules are selected, chiefly, from British authori- 
ties. England is famous for its agricultural science and modes 
of gardening, and planting trees. Such knowledge and taste are 
much needed in our land. But be careful, fair girl and comely 
matron, and do not expose your health or injure your personal 
appearance while helping m out-door work. A sun-bonnet or 
broad-brimmed straio hat and thick gloves should always be 
worn, when engaged in such employments. 

* The rural populatiou of America ia now over twenty millions. 



Zb ) MRS. HALES RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

1005. Important Fact in Agriculture, — Whatever may be 

the Datuieof the soil, or of the crop cultivated, it should always 
be the aim of the farmer to grow flill crops. Partial and some- 
times extensive failures will even then but too often occur ; but 
to neglect making the best known preparations, or only to pre- 
pare for half a crop, has a direct tendency to unprofitable 
farming. 



1006. Manure for Clover. — Some farmers make it a rule to 
spread about fifty bushels per acre of ashes over their clover in 
March*, which they find, from long experience, to be a good 
manure for this grass. Wood-ashes will be useful on any soil ; 
coal-ashes chiefly on stiff clays. On the stiff soils of some parts 
of Buckinghamshire, ashes of all kinds are much esteemed, and 
have risen to a high price. 

1007. Hoiv to preserve Manure. — Put it in heaps, and cover 
it with earth two feet deep. Never leave manure in the baru 
yard ; put it all, year by year, on your land. 

1008. Dr. Taylor'' s Easy Method of ascertaining the Qualities 
of Marl ^ Lime Stones, or Quick Lime, for the purposes of Agri^ 
culture. — This was a communication by Dr. Taylur to the Man- 
chester AgricultOral Society ; the general use of marl tsiid 
lime as nianures, having prompted him to point out the import- 
ance of an easy and certain method (^fdeterujining the qualities 
of di^ei'ent earths and stones, iind asceitaining the quantity of 
calcareous earth in their composition; their value, in agricul- 
ture, commonly increasing in proportion to the greater quantity 
of it which they contain. The process recommended is thus 
described: — The marl or stone being dried, and reduced to 
powder, put half an ounce of it into a half pint glass, pouring 
in clear water till the glass is half full ; then gradually add a 
small quantity of strong marine acid, commonly called spirit 
of salt, and .stir the mixture well together. As sooa as the 
effervescence thus excited subsides, add a little more marine 
acid ; thus continuing the operation v/hile any of the earthy 
matter appears to di^^solve; and till the liquor, after being well 
stirred and aUowed to stand for half an hour, appears sensibly 
acid to the taste. When the mixture has subsided, if the liquor 
above it be colorless, that marl or lime-stone is the best which 
leaves the least in quantity of sediment or deposit in the bot- 



HINTS ABOUT AGRICULTURE^ BTC. 2C7 

toiTi of the glass. This experiment is sufficient to determine 
which of the samples tried is the most proper for the uses oi' 
agriculture: as pure calcareous .earth or lime, which is the 
earth useful in agriculture, will be entirely dissolved; but clay 
or sand will not be sensibly acted on by the acid. Where great 
accuracy is required in determining the experiment, lay a soft 
spongy paper, of which the weight is exactly taken, in an 
earthen colander — for no metallic vessel, or implement for stir- 
ring, (fee, must be used in any part of the process — and, pour- 
ing the saturated mixture of earth and acid on it, let. all the 
liquor filter through, then pour a little clear water over the 
earthy matter remaining on the filter ; and, when that water has 
also filtered through, di-y the paper with the earthy matter on 
it which remains undissolved, when the deficiency found, on 
weighing them, from their original vveight, will discover what 
portion of the marie or lime has been dissolved in the acid. 
What quantity of eaithy matter has been dissolved may be 
made evident to the sight, by gradually adding, to the liquor 
which has been filtered through the paper^ a clear solution of 
pearl-ashes, or ashes of burnt wood ; this w^iil occasion a pre- 
cipitation of the contained lime or calcareous earth to the 
bottom of the vessel, which precipitate must be dried and 
weighed. 



1009. To preserve Seeds, when sown, from Vermin. — Steep 
the grain or seed three or four hours, or a sufficient time iov it 
to penetrate the skin, or husk, in a strong solutioii of liver of 
sulphur. 

1010. Stripped Grass recommended for Hay. — The hid i an 
striped or riband grass, which is cultivated in gardens, would 
answer admirably for hay. In rich grounds j-'lants are fre- 
quently four feet high ; what a burden of hay would a field so 
cropped produce I Cattle are exceedingly fond of it; the seeds 
are easily saved, so that a person might soon have enough for 
a rood, and from that save iigain and again, for as many acres 
as he might choose. It is p'robable that the crop might be 
much too large to be njade on the field where it grew ; but 
if so, it would be worth while to carry part into another field. 



1011. When to cut Bye-grass for Hay. — Rye-gra^s, if mown 
for hay, should be cut when in blossom, and nut green. The 



268 >fP-s. hale's receipts for thb million. 

hay made from it does not heat or sweat so much, arid is very 
good for horses, but not for sheep and cattle. Jf it is suffered 
to stand too long before it is cut, the seeds rob the plants of 
their juices, and leave it no better than wheat or rye-straw.. 



1012. To irrevent the Smut in Wheat, — The means (to pre- 
vent smut) are simple ; and no other than immersing the seed 
in pure water, and repeatedly scouring it therein, just before it 
is sown or dibbled in. Whether well, spring, or river water 
be used, is indifferent; but repeated stirring and change of 
water is essential to remove the possible particles of infectiou 
that may have imperceptibly adhered to the seed ; thus puri- 
fied, the subsequent crop will be perfect in itself, and seed suc- 
cessively so likewise, if there be no adjacent fields from whence 
this contamination mav be wafted. 

The addition of any alkaline or earthy salt, by increasing 
the specific gravity of the water, is of advantage in floating off 
the unsound grains, and after the seed is washed, it should be 
dried inmiediately by rubbing it w^ith newly slaked lime. 



1013. Fertilizing Steeps fur Turnips, Wheat ^ or Barley. — • 
Steep turnip seed twelve hours in train oil, which strain through 
a fine seive, and immediately thoroughly mix the quantity of 
seed you would wish to sow on an acre, with three bushels of 
dry loamy earth, finely sifted, which drill (or sow) as soon as 
possible ; and when the plants begin to appear, throw a small 
quantity of soot over them. 



1014. Steep for Wheats Barley^ or other Grain, — Put a peck 
and a half of wood-ashes, and a peck of unslaked lime, into a 
tub that wiil hold forty gallons ; then add as much water as 
will slake the lime, and render the niixture into the consistence 
of stiff mortar. In this state it should remain ten or twelve 
hours ; then add as much water as will reduce the mortar to a 
pulp, by thorough stirring. In this state fill the tub wuth w^ater, 
and occasionally keep stirring for two or three days. After 
which, draw off the clear ly^i into an open vessel, and gradually 
put the gralii into it: skim ofi' the light grains; and, after the 
corn has been steeped three hours, spread it on a clean floor 
to dry, when it will be sufficiently prepared for drilling or sow- 
ing. The lye will retain its full virtue, and may be repeated]/ 
used. 



HINTS ABOUT AGRICULTURE, ETC, 269 

Remarh, — It has been doubted whether steeps are of any 
use, except so far as they facilitate the separation of the light 
grains, and wash off the seeds of the parasite plants, which are 
thought to occasion smut^ &c. In the best-cultivated parts of 
Scotland, seed-wheat is steeped in stale urine, or in a brine 
made with common salt, which, by increasing the specific gravit}^ 
of the water, floats the unsound grains. The seed is w^ell wash 
ed, and then dried, by mixing it w^ith fresh slaked lime, and 
rubbing it briskly with a wooden shovel. The quick-lime and 
rubbing is thought to assist in cleansing the seed ; but, indepen- 
dent of that, the mere drying the seed quickly is convenient. 



1015. To sow Wheat to advantage^ withoxit laying on Manure. 
— It has been found expedient sometimes to sow wheat without 
laying on any manure ; and, in the beginning of February, to 
collect twenty bushels of lime, unslaked, for every acre, and 
forty bushels of sand, or the rubbish of a brick-kiln ; then, about 
the end of the month, to slake the lime, which doubles the 
measure, and mix it well with the sand, and, immediately after- 
wards, to scatter it by way of top-dressing over the green wheat. 
As rain generally succeeds, it is soon washed down to the roots 
of the plants, and gives them a vigor .and strength, which, to 
those who never made the experiment, is astonishing. The 
lime, sand, and rubbish, are particularly useful in breaking the 
tenacity of stiff clays. In a clay soil, where coal was yQxj 
cheap, the clay was slightly burned in the field, and spread 
over the surface, as the cheapest way of subduing the coarse- 
ness and stiflfness of the soil. The refuse or rubbish from mines 
in the neighborhood has been burned, and applied w^ith advan- 
tage on the same principle. 



1016. Approved method of soioing Wheat on narrow ridges. — 
The seedsman should walk up one side of the bed and down 
the other side, always keeping his face, and the hand with which 
he sows, towards the bed he is sowing; his eye must be con- 
tinually on the edge of the opposite interfurrow, and deliver his 
seed principally on the side of the bed next to it: as he returns, 
the sides will of course be reversed, and the beds become evenly 
seeded. 

1017. Great utility of sowing Buckwheat, — In light lands, 
buckwheat may be raised to groat advantage, as a lucrative 



2Y0 ^'^s. hale'3 receipts for the mtlliok. 

crop. When green, it is a fine feed foi milch-kine ; and when 
ploughed, is a fine preparation for the land. It fattens pigs 
with great economy, and, passed through the mill, is, with ear- 
rot, a capital feed for work-horses. The seed is excellent food 
for poultry, and, when ground, makes good bread. 



1018 To keep Crows from Corn. — Take a quart of train oil, 
and as much turpentine and bruised gunpowder; boil them to- 
gether, and, when hot, dip pieces of rags in the mixture, and 
fix them on sticks in the field. About four are sufficient for an 
acre of corn. 



1019. Proper Soil for the Culture of Turnips. — Sandy loams, 
in good heart, are most favorable to their growth, though they 
will thrive well on strong loams, if they are not wet; but, on 
clayey, thin, or wet soils, they are not worth cultivating; for, 
though a good crop may be raised on such ground, when well 
prepared and dunged, more damage is done by taking off the 
turnips in winter, in poaching the soil, than the value of the 
crop will repay. 



1020. Instructions for raising Potatoes to advantage, — The 
earth should be dug twelve inches deep, if the soil will allow 
it ; after this, a hole should be opened about six inches deepj 
and horse-dung, or long-litter, should be put therein, about three 
inches thick; this hole should not be more than twelve inches 
diameter. Upon this dung or litter, a potato should be planted 
whole, upon which a little- more dung should be shaken, and 
then the earth must be put thereon. In like manner, the whole 
plot of ground must be planted, taking care that the potatoes 
be at least sixteen inches apart. When the young shoots make 
their appearance, they should have fresh mould drawm round 
them with a hoe ; and if the tender shoots are covered, it will 
prevent the frost from injuring them : they should again be 
earthed when the shoots make a second appearance, but not 
covered, as, in all probability, the season will be less severe. 

A plentiful supply of m.uuld should be given them ; and the 
person who performs this business should never tread upon the 
plant, or the hillock that is raised round it, as the lighter the 
earth is, the more room the potato will have to expand. 

A gentleman obtained from a single root, thus planted, very 
near forty pounds' weight of large potatoes; and, from almost 



HIXT3 ABOUT AGRICULTURi:, ETC. 2*1 

every other root upon the same plot of ground, fiom fifteen to 
twerity pounds' weight ; and, except the soil be stony or gra- 
velly, ten pounds, or half a peck, of potatoes, may almost be 
obtained from each root, by pursuing the foregoing method. 

1021. Use of the Dandelion, — This is an excellent salad, and 
a good green. Where it grows as a weed, cover it early in the 
spring, with rotten tan, or decayed leaves; it will soon 
come up. 

1022. Prepotatioiis for Carrots and other winged Seeds. — 
Take two bushels of dry loamy earth, finely sifted ; to which 
add one bushel of bran, and a sufficient quantity of carrot seed, 
cleaned from stalks, and well rubbed between the hands ; all 
which thoroughly nsix together, and drill (or sow). The car- 
rot seed will stick to the bran, which, with the earth, will be 
regularly discharged. 

1023. To raise a Salad quickly. — Steep lettuce-seed, mustard* 
cresses, &:c., in aqua vitf^. Mix a little pigeon's dung with 
some mould, and powdered slacked lime. In forty-eight hours 
the salad will be produced. 



]024. Important Discovery relative to the Preservation of 
Grain, — To preserve rye and secure it from insects and rats, 
nothinfiT more is necessarv than not to winnow it after it is 
thrashed, but merely separate it from the straw, and to stow it 
in the granaries, mixed with the chaif. In this state it has been 
kept for more than three years without experiencing the 
smallest alteration, and even without the necessity of being 
turned to preserve it from humidity and fermentation. Kats 
and mice may be prevented from entering the barn, by putting 
some wild vine or hedge plants upon the heaps; the smell ot 
the wood is so offensive to these animals, that they will not 
approach it. The experiment has not yet been made with 
wheat and other kinds of grain, bnt they may probably be pre- 
served in the chaff with equal advantage. It must however be 
observed, that the hui-ks and corns of rye are different from 
most other grain. It has been sown near houses where many 
poultry were kept, for the purpose of bringing up a crop of 
grass, because the poultry do not destroy it, as they would 
have done wheat, oats, or even barley in the same situation. 



2Y2 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

1025. To preserve Grain in Sacks, — Provide a reed cane, or 
other hollow stick, made so by gluing together two grooved 
sticks; let it be about three feet nine inches long; and that it 
may be easier thrust down to the bottona of the corn in the 
sack, its end to be naade to taper to a point, by a wooden plug 
that is fixed in, and stops the orifice. About one hundred and 
fifty small holes, of one-eighth of an inch in diameter, are to be 
bored on all sides of the stick, from its bottom for about two 
feet ten inches of its length ; but no nearer to the surface of 
the corn, lest too great a proportion of the air should escape 
there. By winding a packthread in a spiral form round the 
stick, the boring of the holes may be the better regulated, so as 
to have them about half an inch distant towards the bottom, 
but gradually at wider distances, so as to be an inch asunder at 
the upper part ; by which means the lower part of the corn 
will have its due proportion of fresh air. To the top of the 
stick let there be fixed a leathern pipe ten inches long ; which 
pipe is to be distended by two yards of spiral wire, coiled up 
within it. At the upper part of the pipe is fixed a taper 
wooden faucet, into which the nose of a common household bel- 
lows is to be put, in order to ventilate the corn. 

If wheat, when first put into sacks, be thus aired, every other 
or third day, for ten or fifteen minutes, its damp sweats which 
would hurt it, will, in a few weeks, be carried off to such a de- 
gree, that it will afterwards keep sweet with very little airings 
as has been found by experience. 

By the same means other kinds of seeds, as well as wheat, 
may be kept sweet either in sacks or small bins. 

1026. To preserve Oats from being musty. — Richard Fermor, 
Esq. of Tusmore, in Oxfordshire, has in his stable a contri- 
vance to let oats down from a loft out of a vessel, like the 
hopper of a mill, whence they fall into a square pipe, let into a 
wall, about four inches diagonal, which comes into a cupboard 
set into a wall, but with its end so near the bottom, that there 
shall never be above a desirable quantity in the cup-board at a 
time, which being taken away, another parcel succeeds; by this 
motion the oats are kept constantly sweet (the taking away 
one gallon moving the whole above), which, when laid up 
otherwise in great quantities, frequently grow musty. 

1027. Easy Method of destroying Mites or Weevils in Gra^ 
varies, — A very sagacious farmer has succeeded in destroying 



HINTS ABOUT AGRICULTURK, ETC. 273 

weevils, by a very easy process. In the month of June, when 
his granaries were all empty, he collected great quantities of 
the largest sized ants, and scattered them about the places in- 
fested with the weevils. The ants immediately fell upon and 
devoured every one of them ; nor have any weevils since that 
time been seen on his premises. 

Remark, — The large, or wood-ant, feeds entirely on animal 
substances ; of course it would not destrov the corn. 



1028. To preserve Carrots^ Parsnips^ and Beets, all the Win- 
ter, — A little before the frost sets in, draw your beets or pars- 
nips out of the ground, and lay them in the house, burying 
their roots in sand to the neck of the plant,' and ranging 
them one by another in a shelving position ; then another 
bed of sand, and another of beets, and continue this order 
•to the last. By pursuing this method, they will keep very 
fresh. When they are wanted for use, draw them as they 
stand, not out of the middle or sides. 



1029. To preserve Turnips from Frost. — The best way is to 
stack them up in straw in the following manner : — One load of 
any sort of dry straw is sufficient fijr an acre of fifty tons^ 
weight. Pull up the turnips, top and tail them, then throw 
them in a sort of windrow, and let them lie a few days to dry. 

First, lay a layer of straw next the ground, and upon it a 
layer of turnips about half a yard thick; then another layer of 
straw ; so go on alternately with a layer of straw and a layer 
of turnips ; every layer grows narrower, till it comes to a 
point at the top, like a sugar-loaf. The last layer must be 
straw, which serves to keep all dry. You must observe 
always when you have laid a layer of turnips, to stroke or 
lap over the ends of the under layer of straw, in order to 
keep them close or from tumbling out. The heap should be as 
large as a hay-cock; the tops may be given to sheep or cattle 
as they are cut off. 



1030. Another, — Turnips placed in layers, though not thick, 
have been found, after a few weeks, to rot. In some places 
the following method is adopted. Lay the turnips close 
together in a single layer, on a grass fitdd, near the farm- 
yard, and scatter some straw and branches of trees over them ; 
this will preserve them from sudden altcrnalions of frost and 
1^ 



274 MRS. bale's receipts for the milliox. 

thaw. They keep as well as stored turnips can do. The bare 
grass is of no value in' winter, and mny rather pei'haps receive 
some benefit from the shelter of the turnip. An immense 
quantity may thus be stored on a small extent of grass ground. 
It is chiefly useful for small farmers, in soils unht for the tur- 
nip, but who are forced to raise it for milk-cows, or to support, 
in the winter, the sheep they feed in the summer on the com- 
mons, and which they keep, perhaps, principally in the night, 
on ttie fields they have no other means of manuring. But it 
may be useful, even on proper turnip soils, to Kave the latter 
part of the crop trom the sudden frosts and sunshine in the 
spring, or in an open winter, which rot so great a-portion of it ; 
perhaps a fourth or third pai't of what is then on the ground. 



1031. T?te good effects of Llder in 'preserving Plants from 
Insects and Flics, — 1. For preventing cabbage and cauliflow^er 
plants from being devoured and damaged by caterpillars. 2. 
For preventing blights, and their etfects on fruit-trees. 3. For 
preserving corn from yeUow flies and other insects. 4. For 
secuiing turnips from the ravages of flies. 'Ihe dwarf elder ap- 
pears to exhale a nmch more fetid smell than the coiiimon 
eld^r, and therefore sh^^nld be preferred. 



1032. The uae of Sulphur in destroying Insects on Plants^ 
and its Benefit for Vegetation. — Tie up sufue flower of sulphur 
in a piece of muslin or fine linen, and with this the leaves of 
young shoots of plants should be dusted ; or it may be thrown 
on them by means of a common swans'-down puff, or even by a 
dredging-box. 

Fresih assurances have repeatedly been received of the pow- 
erful influence of sulphur against the whule tribe of insects and 
worms which infest and prey on vegetables. Sulphur has also 
been found to promote the health of plants, on which it was 
sprinkled ; aiid that peach-trees, in particular, were remaikably 
improved by it, and seemed to absorb it. Jt has likewise 'been 
observed, that the verdure, and other healthful appearances, 
were perceptibly increased ; fur the quantity of new shoots and 
leaves formed sub^^cquentiy to the operation, and having no 
sulphur on their suitaces, served as a kind of comparative 
index, and pointed out distinctly the accumulation of health. 

1033. Method of stopping the Ravages of the Caterpillars f ran 
Shrubs, Plaiits, and Vegetables. — Take a chaflng-dish, with 



HINTS ABOUT AGRICULTURE, ETC. 275 

lighted charcoal, and place it under the branches of the tree, 
or bush, whereon are the caterpillars; then throw a little brim- 
stone on the coals. The vapor of the sulphur, which is mortal 
to these insects, and the suffocating fixed air arising from the 
charcoal, will not only destroy all that are on the tree, but will 
effectually prevent the shrubs from being, that season, infested 
with them. A pound of sulphur will clear as many trees as 
grow on several acres. 

Another method of driving these insects off fruit-trees, is to 
boil together a quantity of rue, woiinwood, and common to- 
bacco (of each equal parts), in common water. The liquor 
should be very strung. Sprinkle this on the leaves and young 
branches every morning and evening during the time the fruit 
is ripening. 

In the Economical Journal of Erance, the following method 
of guarding cabbages from the depredations of caterpillars is 
stated to* be infaiiible, and may, perhaps, be equally service- 
able against those which infest other vegetables. Sow with 
hemp all the borders of the ground wherein the cabbage is 
planted; and, alth(^ugh the neighborhood be infested with cater- 
pillars, the space inclosed by the hemp will be perfectly free, 
and not one of these vermin will approach it. 

1034. 2^0 prevent the Increase of Pismires in Grass Lands 
newly laid doivn. — Make a strong decoction of walnut-tree 
leaves, and after .opening several of the pismires' sandy habita- 
tions, pour upon theni a quantity of the liquor, just sufficient to 
fill the hollow of each heap: after the middle of it has been 
scooped, thi'ov/ in the contents from the sides, and press down 
the whole mass with the foot, till it becomes level with the 
rust of the field. This, if not found efie.ctual at first, must be 
repeated a second or a third time, when they infallibly will be 
destroyed. 



lOo."). To prevent the Fly in Turnips. — From experiments 
lately made, it has been ascertained that lime sown by hand, 
i)\ distributed by a machine, is an infaiiible protection to tur- 
inps against the ravages of this destructive insect. It should be 
applied as soon as the turnips come up, and in the same daily 
rotation in which they were sown. Thelin^ie should be slacked 
,in»ediatciy bt^fure it is used, if the air be not sufiieiently moist 
to render that opei'alion unnecessary, 



276 MRS. EALe'.^ REOEIPTg FOR THE MILLION. 

1036. To prevent Mice from destroying early sown Peas.'-^^ 
The tops of furze, or whins, chopped and thrown into the drills, 
and thus covered up, (by goading them in their attempt to 
scratch,) is an effectual preventive. Sea-sand, stewed pretty 
thick upon the surface, has the same effect. It gets into their 
earSj and is troublesome. 



1037. Another. — In the gardens in Devonshire, a simple 
trap is used to destroy mice. A com.mon brick, or flat stone, 
is set on one end, inclined at an angle of about forty-five de- 
grees. Two strings, tied to a cracked stick, stuck in the ground, 
with loops at the ends of the strings, are brought round to the 
middle of the under part of the brick, and one loop being put 
into the other, a pea or bean, or any other bait, makes the 
string fast, so as to support the brick. Vv hen the animal re- 
moves the bait, the loops separate, and the brick, by falling, 
smothers the animal. 



1038. To Destroy Beetles. — Take some small lumps of un- 
slaked lime, and put into the chinks or holes from which they 
issue, it will effectually destroy them ; or it may be scattered 
on the ground, if they are m'ore numerous than in their holes. 

1039. Another Method. — The simplest and most effectual 
Avay of destroying beetles is by means of red wafers. As it 
has become usual to substitute vermilion for red lead in the 
composition of wafers, it will be necessary to ask particularly 
for such as have been made with red lead. Strew^ these in the 
neighborhood of the crevices from which these insects issue, 
and their future incursions will be speedily prevented.' Cock- 
roaches may be destroyed by the same means. - 



1040. For Destroying Bugs and Worms m Wood.'—Kn emi- 
nent physician has discovered that by rubbing wood with a 
solution of vitriol, insects and bugs are prevented from harbor- 
ing therein. When the strength of this remedy is required to 
be increased, there need only be boiled some coloquintida 
apples in water, in which, afterwards, vitriol is dissolved, and 
the bedstead, with the wood about them, and the w^ainscoting, 
being anointed with the liquor, will, be ever after clear of 
worms or bugs. The wall may be likewise rubbed with the 
composition, and tome of it uiay be dropj ed into- the holes 



HINTS ABOUT AGRICULTURE^ ETC. 277 

where these insects are suspected to be harbored. As to the 
walls, they require only to be washed over with the vitriol 
water. 



1041. To Destroy Insects on Wall Fruit Trees. — Take an old 
tin watering-pan, or any similar vessel, and make a charcoal 
fire in it; add a tube or pipe, made of either tin, leather, or 
stiff paper, to the spout, which may be of any sufficient length ; 
then strew some brimstone, tobacco-dust, fine shreds of leather, 
(fee, upon the fire, in the pan, and cover the top; having a pair 
of bellows ready, hold the wind-flap over the tube or pipe to 
receive the smoke, which it will do very effectually when you 
use the bellows. By this means the suffocating vapor may be 
directed through the bellows to any part of the tree with the 
greatest ease and facility, and the tree soon cleared of all 
vermin. 



1042. To Destroy the Insect which attacks the Ai^ple Tree, 
commonly called the White Blighty or American Blight, — To a 
strong decoction of the digitalis or foxglove, add a sufficient 
quantity of fresh cow-dung, to give it such a consistence as may 
enaijle }0u to apply it with a painters' brush to those parts of 
the bark of the tree, which afford a harbor for this destructive 
insect. The insect is generally destroyed by the first applica- 
tion, though in some instances it may be necessary to repeat it. 
It has been remarked that the insect never returns in future 
years to those parts of the tree which have been thus treated. 

1043. For Destroying Caterpillars on Gooseberry Bushes. — 
Take oae Scots pint (two English quarts) of tobacco liquor 
(which .nay be made, where it cannot be purchased, by infus- 
ing any kind of tobacco in water till all the strength be ex- 
tracted) which the manufacturers of tobacco generally sell for 
destroying bugs, and mix them with about one ounce of alum ; 
and when the alum is sufficiently dissolved, put this mixture 
into a plate, or other vessel, wide and long enough to admit of 
d brush, like a weaver's brush, being di[)ped into it ; and as 
earl}' in the season as you can perceive the leaves of the bushes 
to be in the least eaten, or the eggs upon the leaves (which 
generally happens about the end of May), and which will be 
found in great numbers on the veins of the leaves on their 
under sido ; you are then to take the preparation, or liquor, 



2t8 MR?!, bale's RECEirrs for the million. 

and after dipping the brush into it, and holding the brush to- 
wards the under side of the bush, which is to be raised and sup- 
ported by the hands of another person ; and by drawing your 
hand gently over the hairs of the brush, the above liquid is 
sprinkled, and falls in small drops on the leaves ; the conse- 
quence of which is, if the eggs are there, they never come for- 
ward ; and if they have already generated worms, in a minute 
or two after the liquor touches them, they either die or sicken, 
so as to fall off the bush; at least they do so upon giving it a 
little shake, l^, upon their thus falling off, they shall not ap- 
pear completely dead, the bush should be held up, and either 
a little boiling w\ater from a watering-pot thrown over them, or 
a bruise given them by a spade or shovel ; or the earth, where 
they lie, turned over with a hoe. This preparation does not in 
the least injure the bushes. 

1044. To Preserve Flowers^ Leaves^ and Fruit, from Cater- 
^nllars. — These depredators are destroyed by oils, which close 
the lateral pores by w-hich they breathe. For this purpose it is 
advised, that on the approach of spring, a cloth, dipped in train 
oil, be laid on such parts of the tree in which there is the least 
appearance of them. 

1045. Method to deistroy or drive away Earth Worms ^ and 
other Insects^ hurtful to Fields and Gardens. — Three parts of 
quick-lime, newly made, and two parts of soap-boilers' l^y or 
potash dissolved in w^ater, will produce a somewhat milky liquor 
sufficiently caustic, and highly hostile and poisonous to earth- 
worms and other small animals; for as soon as it touches any 
part of their bodies, it occasions in them violent symptoms of 
great uneasiness. If this liquor be poured into those holes, in 
which the earth-worms reside under ground, they immediately 
throw themselves out as if driven by some force, and, after 
various contortions, languish and die. If the leaves of plants or 
fruit-trees, frequented by the voracious caterpillai-s, which are 
so destructive to them, be sprinkled over with this liquor^ 
these insects suddenly contract their bodies and drop to the 
ground. For, though nature has defended them tolerably well 

' by their hairy skins, from any thing that might injure their deli- 
cate bodies; yet, as soon as they touch with their feet or mouths 
the leaves which have been moistened by this liquor, they be- 
come, as it were, stupefied, instantly contract themselves, aad 
fall down. 



HINTS ABOUT AGRTCUI/rURE, ETC. 279 

1046. To destroy Earwigs and Wood Lice, — A very simple 
way of ensnaring them, and by whicli they may be taken alive 
in great quantities, is tu place tbur iiich>cats of reeds, bean- 
haulm, or strong wheat-straw among the bi'iuiches, and also lay 
a number on the ground, at the bottom of the wall. In these 
the insects take refuge at day-break, as they depredate chiefly in 
the night; and any time through the day they may be blown 
into a bottle wnth a little water in it, and so be drowned. Or^ 
a cheaper way is to burn the straw, and scatter fresh on the 
ground. 



1047. To destroy Fleas on Dogs. — Rub the animal, when 
out of the house, with the common Scotch snuff, except thenoso 
and eyes. Rub the powder well into the roots of the hair. 
' Clear lime-water destroys the whitish flea-worm \^ iihout injuring 
the skin or hair. Oil of turpentine will likewise do so ; but if 
there be any manginess, or the skin be broken, it will give the 
anin)al much pain. 



1048. To clear Gardens of Vermin^ by Ducks, — Ducks are 
excellent vermin-pickers, whether of cateipidars (such as are 
\vithin their reach), slugs, snails, and others, and ought to be 
turned into the garden one or two days every week throughout 
the season. Never keep them longer in than two or three 
hours at a time, else they become indolent. While here, they 
should have a little water set down to them, if there be no pond 
or stream in the garden. 

Never turn them into the garden in the time of heavy rains, 
or in continued wet weather, as in that case, and particularly 
if the soil be stifl", they patter and harden the surface, to the 
great injury of small crops and rising seeds. 



1049. The use of Garlic against Moles^ Gruhs^ and Snails. — 
Moles are such enemies to the smell of garlic, that, in order to 
get jid of these troublesonie and destructive guests, it is sufli- 
cient to introduce a few heads of garlic into their subterraneous 
walks. It is likewise employed with success against grubs and 
snails. 

1050. 2 prevent the destruction of Field Turnips by Sluffs. — 
A few years since, a considerable farmer, near Bath, observing 
Ihe turnips in one of his fields strongly attacked by something, 



280 >iRs. halk's eeceipts for tke million. 

discovered, by accident, that the enemy was really a slug ; and 
immediately prevented farther damage by well rolling the whole 
field, by night, which killed all the slugs. 

N. B. This was the grand secret which was advertised for 
two thousand subscribers, at one guinea each, by W. Vagg, 
for destroying the fly in turnips — which it will not do ! 



1051. Method of destroying Insects on Fruit Trees, — Make 
a strong decoction of tobacco, and the tender shoots of elder, 
by pouring boiling water on ihem ; then sprinkle your trees 
with the same (cold) twice a week, for two or three weeks, 
with a small hearth-brush, w^hich will effectually destroy the 
insects, and the leaves will retain their verdure until the fall 
of the year. 

If used early, as soon as the bud unfolds itself, it will proba- 
bly prevent the fly. The effect of tobacco has been long known, 
and elder-water frequently spi-inkled on honeysuckles and roses, 
has been found to prevent insects from hedging on them. 

The quantity to be made use of, is one ounce of tobacco to 
one gallon of water, with about two handfuls of elder. You 
may, however, make it as strong as you please, it being per- 
fectly innocent to the plants. 



1052. 7h destroy Insects 2^r€Jtcdicial to Jpple- Trees. — To one 
hundi-ed gallons of human urine, and one bushel of lime, add 
cow-dung to bring it to the consistence of paint. With this 
composition anoint the trees. The month of March is the pro- 
per season for applying it. if the white efliorescence-like sub- 
stance in which the insects are lodged, has made its appearance, 
it should previously be brushed off. 

1053. To destroy wasps on Fruit- Trees. — Wasps, about the 
month of July, will begin to swarm about the early fruits; and 
for their destruction, phials should be hung about the branches, 
half-filled with honey and water, or with sugar and small-beer. 
These should be emptied and replaced once in two or three 
days, otherwise they do not take so well — these little animals 
being extremely sagacious, and disliking the appearance of their 
own species, when dead. 

1054. Another. — Winter is the proper season to apply the 
following solution. The juices are then determined to the root. 



HINTS ABOUT AGRICULTURE, ETC. 



281 



Soft soap, two pounds ; leaf or roll tobacco, one pound ; 
nux-vomica, two ounces; and turpentine, half an English gill: 
boil them in eight English gallons of soft or river water, to six ; 
and use it milk-warm. 

Unnail or untie all the branches from the wall or trellis ; 
brush every part of the tree clean with a soft brush, such as is 
used for painting ; then, with a sponge, carefully anoint every 
branch, root, and bud ; and be sure rub it well into every joint, 
hole, and angle, as it is there the- eggs or larvae of the insects 
are chiefly lodged. The rails, spars, &c., of the espalier or 
trellis, should also be anointed as above. 

This operation should be repeated every winter, some time 
between the fall of the leaf and the first of [February, ns may 
be most convenient. The solution is effectually destructive to 
all kinds of insects, their eggs or larvae. 

1055. To hill Reptiles, — Twelve ounces of quick-lime in 
powder, two ounces of Scotch snuff, two ounces of basket salt, 
two ounces of sulphur vivum, dissolved in ten gallons of water, 
and thrown on the insects, either in the liquid or powder, w^ill 
destroy them. 

1056. To prevent Sings from getting into Fruit-Trees. — If tho 
trees are standards, tie a coarse horse-hair rope about them, 
two or three feet from the ground. If they are against the wall, 
nail a narrow slip of coarse horse-hair cloth against the wall, 
about half a foot from the ground, and they will never get over 
it; for if they attempt it, it will kill them, as their bellies are 
soft, and the horse-hair will wound them. 



1057. To destroy Snails, — Snails are great enemies to wall- 
fruit; and any dewy morning you may easily find where they 
most delight to breed ; but the best way is to find out their 
haunts in a hard winter, and then destroy them : they lie much 
in holes of walls, under thorns, behind old trees or old and close 
hedges. If you pluck not the fruit they have begun to devour, 
but let it alone, they will. finish their repast on this, before they 
begin another. 



1058. To destroy the Red Spider^ so troublesome in dry sea- 
sons, — The red spicier makes its appearance in hot, dry weather, 
and is always found on the under sides of the leaves, generally 



282 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

on ro'dghish leaves, but not always so. It preys on the apple 
cherry, fig, peach, pear, and plum — seldom on the apricot. It 
is among trie smallest of the acari, and is sometimes not dis- 
tinguishable without a microscope, if the bark of the leaf be 
viewed through one, it appears full of its webs; and if many 
abound on it, the leaf appears full of punctures, becomes dis- 
colored, and brown on the upper surface, fades, and falls off. 

This insect is more troublesonjc in dry seasons than in moist 
ones, and is wonderfully encouraged by heat — insomuch, that 
hot-houses of every description are sadly infested with it. Wa- 
ter, and water only, is its bane; and the syringe, or the force- 
pump, the engine of its destruction. It is not a mere sprinkling 
that will do ; it requires a forcible dashing to and fro, and that 
often repeated, to be eiiectual. 

1059. To destroy Vermin in Granaries and other Outbuild- 
htgs, — Cover completely the walls and rafters, above and below, 
of the granaries, <ic., which are infested with weevils and other 
vermin, with quick-lime slaked in water, in which trefoil, worm- 
wood, and hyssop have been boiled. This compojiition ought 
i(s be applied as hot as possible. 

1060. To deUroy Worms in Gardens. — Water your beds 
with a strong decuction of walnut-tree leaves where there are 
■worm casts ; the worms will iuimediately rise up out of the 
earth, and you may easily ^ake and cut them to pieces, and fat- 
ten your poultry therewith, or feed fish in ponds with them. 

By laying ashes or lime about any plant, neither snails nor 
worms will come near it. As the moisture weakens it, you 
must, more or less, continue to renew the liuie or ashes. 



1061. To destroy Worms in Gravel Walks, d'c, — Pour into 
the holes a ley, made of wood ashes and lime; this will also 
destroy insects, if trees are sprinkled with it. Salt and water 
will do as well. 



1062. Usefulness of the Wren in destroying Insects, — As a 
devourer of pernicious insects, one of the most useful birds is 
the house wren. Ihis little bird seems to be particularly fond 
of the society of man, and it must be confessed that it is often 
protected by his interested care. It has hnig been a custom, in 
many parts of the country, to fix a small box at the end of a 



HINTS ABOUT AGllICULTURE, ET< . 283 

long pole, ill gardens, about 'houses, (^c, as a place for it to 
build in. In these boxes they build and hatch their young. 
When the young are hatched, the parent bird feeds them with 
a variety of diflerent insects, particularly such as are injurious 
in gardens. An intelligent gentleman was at the trouble to 
observe the number of times a pair of these birds came from 
their box, and returned with insects for their young. He found 
that they did this from 40 to 60 times in an hour, and in one 
particular hour, the birds carried food to their young 71 times. 
In this business they were engaged the greater part of the day ; 
sQ>y 12 hours. Taking the medium therefore of 50 times in an 
hour, it appeared that a single pair of these birds took from the 
cabbage, salad, beans, peas, and other vegetables in the gar- 
den, at least 600 insects in the course of one day. This calcu- 
lation proceeds upon the supposition that the two birds took 
only a single insect each tim.e. But it is highly probable they 
often took several at a time. 



1063. To destroy Rats and other Vermin, — Sponge, if cut in 
small pieces, fried or dipped in honey, and given tcf vermin, 
distends their intestines, and effectually destroys them. The 
addition of a little oil of Khodium will tempt them to eat. 

A better method would be to feed them regularly two or 
three weeks in any apartment which they infest. The hole, by 
which they enter, being first fitted with a sliding door, to 
which a long string may be added ; any apartment might thus 
be turned into a gigantic rat-trap. 



1064. Another Method of Lestroying Bat9:<=^hay bird-lime 
in their haunts, for though they are nasty enough in other re- 
spects, yet being very curious of their fir, if it is but daubed 
with this stufi', it is so troublesome to them that they will even 
scjatch their skins from off their own backs to get it off, and 
will never abide in a place where they have suffered in this 
manner. 



1065. To destroy Eats or Mice, — Mix flour of malt w^ith 
some butter; add thereto a drop or two of oil of anise-seeds ; 
niake it up into balls, and bait your traps therewith. Jf you 
have thousands, by this means you may take them all. 

1066. A Mouse Irajj^ hy which forty or fifty Mice may be 
cauyht in a JS'iyht. — Take a plain fuur-scj[uare trencher, and put 



234 >if-^. Kale's receipts for the million. 

into the two contrary ends of it ,a large pin, or piece of thick 
knitting-needle; then take two sticks about a yard long, and 
lay them on your dresser, with a notch cut at each end of your 
sticks, placing the two pins, stuck on the corner of the trencher, 
on the notches of the two sticks, so that one corner of your 
trencher may lie about an inch upon your dresser or place that 
the mice may come to ; then let the corner that lies opposite 
to this be baited with some butter and oatmeal, plastered fast 
on, and when the mice run off the dresser to the butter, it will 
tip them into a vessel full of water, which you must place under 
the trencher, in which they will be drowned. 

That your trencher may not tip over, with a little sealing, 
■wax and a thread seal the string to the dresser and trencher, 
and it will remain in good order for weeks or months. 

106T. ^ew, simple, and effectual Method of destroying JRats^ 
— A few years ago, the corn-mill at Glossop was very much 
infested with rats. A quantity of barley, which lay on the 
chamber floor w\^s hourly visited by some of them. The miller 
one day going to drive them away as usual, happened to catch 
one of them under his hat, which he killed ; he then singed all 
the hair off its body, ike, until its skin, tail, and legs, became 
stiff by the operation, in this condition he set it upon its feet 
by the side of a heap of barley, where it stood, with pricked- 
up ears and tail, for some time ; after this, no rat dared to 
come near it ; and in a short space of time the mill was cleared 
of those depredators, and has continued so ever since. 



10G8. To prevent tlie Burrowing of Rats in Houses. — Rats 
may be effectually prevented from burrowing under the foun- 
dation of houses, by making an offset of stone or brick, about 
two feet in breadth, and eighteen inches below the surface ; and 
by carrying up a perpendicular wall from the edge of this off. 
set, to within a few inches of the ground. The adoption of the 
same plan inside will prevent the burrowing of these animals in 
cellars ; for rats always burrow close to a wall ; and finding 
their perpendicular course impeded, they take a horizontal di- 
rection, as far as the offset continues, when they are again 
stopped by the outside wall. Thus baffled, they ascend, and 
go off. 

Those persons who have suffered in their granaries, ice- 
houses, and in the cellars of their dwelling-houses, by the depre- 



HINTS ABOUT AGRICULTURE. ETC. 285 

dations of rats, will probably deem this one of the most valu- 
able articles of the present work. 

1069. To keep Ponds and Artijicial Pieces of Water free from 
Weeds. — At the Marquis of Exeter's seat, near Burghley, there 
is an artificial piece of water, about a mile in length, which 
used to be so over-run with weeds, that three men were em- 
ployed constantly, for six months in every year, to keep them 
under ; in which they never perfectly succeeded. About seven 
years ago, two pair of swans were put on the water : they com- 
pletely cleared away all the weeds the first year, and none have 
appeared since, as the swans constantly eat them before they 
rise to the surface. 



1070. Usefulness of Mowing Weeds. — In the month of June 
weeds are in their most succulent state; and in this state, espe- 
cially after they have lain a few hours to wither, hungry cattle 
will eat greedily almost every species. There is scarcely a 
hedge, border, or nook, but at this season is valuable, and it 
must certainly be good management to embrace the transient 
opportunity ; for in a few weeks they will become nuisances. 



lOTl. On the great Increase of Milk from feeding Milch Cows 
v)ith Sainfoin. — The quantity of milk produced by cows fed by 
sainfoin is nearly double to that of any other food. The milk 
is also much richer, and will yield a larger quantity of cream, 
I'he butter will also be better colored and flavored than any 
other. 



1072. Parsnips productive of Milk in Cotes. — Parsnips cause 
cows to produce abundance of milk, and they eat them as free 
as they do oil-cake. Land, 11. an acre in Guernsey, is sown 
with parsnips to feed cattle, and the milk is like cream. — Sheep, 
when lambing, fed with them, produc^i nmch milk. They are 
imprv)per food for horses, subjecting them to blindiiess. 

1073. Most proper Pood for Milth Cows. — Milch cows are in- 
finitely more profitable kept in the house than out of dooi*s, 
but they must be trained to it, otherwise they do not thrive. 

The best food U»r them are clover, lucern, potatoes, yams^ 
turnips, carrots, cabbages, peas, and beans. 

Such cows as those in the neighborho'.»d of London, kept iu 



286 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

the house, and properly fed, ought to yield nnie gallons per day, 
for the first four months after calving. 

1074. Additional Quantiti/ of Milk to be gained by keeping 
Milch Coivs in the House. — In the management of cows a warm 
stable is highly necessary ; and currying them like horses not 
only affords them pleasure, but makes them give their milk 
more freely. They ought always to be kept clean, laid dry, 
and have plenty of good sweet water to drink. Cows treated 
in this manner have given two gallons of milk at a time, when 
within ten days of calving. 

1075. Utility of Carrots as Food for Horses and other stall 
Beasts. — Carrots are excellent food for horses, either given 
alone, or along with hay, likewise for fattening stall beasts. 
They make them eat straw, and very indifferent hay, greedily. 
If the same be given to cows, the milk will have a much less 
offensive taste and smell than when they are fed on turnips. 

Remark. — It must be noted, however, that Ciirrots, though 
very excellent, are a very expensive food. They would not 
enable a farmer to pay his rent. 



1076. Excellent Method of rearing Calves^ and of preserving 
the Cream^ and a great Part of the Milk during that Time. — 
Put some water on the fire, nearly the quantity that the calf 
can drink. When it boils, throw into it one or two handfuls 
of oatmeal, and suffer the whole to boil for a minute. Then 
leave it to cool until new-milk-warm. Then mix with it one 
or two quarts of milk, that has stood twelve hours, and has 
been skimmed : stir the whole, and give it the calf to drink. 
At fii St it is necessary to make the calf drink by presenting the 
fingers to it, but it soon learns to do without this help, and \s\\\ 
grow incomparai)ly faster than by the old method. This new 
method is not only a theoretical truth, but its success is con- 
firmed l>y experience. 

The economical advantages resulting from it are as follows. 
According to the old method, a calf intended for slaughter is 
made to suck for three weeks, and those intended for agricul- 
ture, from six to ei^ht weeks. Supposing the cow gives only a 
moderate quantity of milk, the value of it will amount, in 
three weeks, to nearly the value of the calf. U^ on the con 
trary, we rear a calf accordiiig to this method, we consume 



HIWT8 ABOUT AGRICULTURE, ETC. 9B7 

during the three weeks only three quarts of oatmeal, at most, 
and the skiinraed milk. 

Calves that have been brought up by this method have been 
always healthy and strong, and not subject to disease. They 
are not suffered to suck at all, but to have the pure milk of the 
mother to drink fur the first four days, because it has been ob- 
served, that the separation, after four days, is more painful to 
the mother than when the calf is taken from her soon after its 
birth. 



10T7. Rules for Milking Cows, — Cows should be milked 
three times a day, if fully fed throughout the summer, and 
great caution should be exercised by the persons employed, to 
draw the milk from them completely, not only to increase the 
quantity of produce, but to preserve its quality. Any portion 
which may be left in the udder seems gradually absorbed in 
the system, and no more is formed than enough to supply the 
loss of what is taken away, and by the continuance of the same 
mode, a yet farther diminution of the secretion takes place, till 
at length scarcely any is produced. This last method of milk- 
ing is always practised, when it is intended that a cow should 
be rendered drv. 



1078. Proj^er Temperature for a Dairy, — The apartments 
appropriated for dairy purposes should, if possible, possess a 
moderate temperature throughout the year, and should be kept 
perfectly clean and dry. The temperature of about fifty-five 
degrees is most favorable for the separation of the cream from 
the milk. The utensils of the dairy are best made of wood ; 
lead and copper are soluble in acid, and highly pernicious ; and 
though iron is not injurious, the taste of it might render the 
produce of the dairy unpalatable. 



1070. Method of making excellent Butter from the Milk of 
Cows fed upon Turnips, — Let the bowls, either lead or wood, 
be kept constantly clean, and well scalded with boiling water, 
befoie using. When the milk is brought into the dairy, to 
every eight quarts mix one quart of boiling water ; then put 
up the milk into the bowls to stand for cream. By keeping 
strictly to this method, you will have, during the winter, con- 
stantly sweet and well-tasted butter from the milk of cows fed 
upon turnips. 



2?8 STRS. bale's receipts for THR lOLLIOH. 

1080. Improved Method of mahing Butter, — If the dairy con- 
sists oi three or four cows, they should be milked in the sum- 
mer thrice a day ; in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. 
Each milking must be kept by itself, in flat wooden vessels, to 
cool in like manner ; and thus in succession for two or three 
days, according to the temperature of the air, the milk thickens, 
and thence is fit for churning, soonest in the warmest 
weather. The quantity of butter will be generally in the pro- 
portion of a pound (twenty-two ounces) for each ten pints, or 
five English gallons of milk. In winter, the cows are to be 
milked only twice a day, and the milk is to l>e put into the 
churn warm from the cow, where it must stand a day or two 
longer than in summer before it becomes sufficiently thick ; 
although to promote the coagulation, it is sometimes brought 
near the kitchen fire, particularly on the preceding night before 
it is churned ; and, in intense cold, it will be necessary to add 
p. small quantity of boiling water. The operation of churning 
is pertbrmed with the plunge^hum, from two to three hours, 
for thirty or f jrty pints of milk ; and at the last stage of the 
process, a little cold water thrown in has the effect of pro 
moting the separation of the butter from the milk. This me- 
thod of making butter has long been practiced in England ; it 
may be worth trial in America, 

N.B. — The dairy-maid must not be disheartened if she does 
not succeed perfectly in her first attempt. 



lOSl. To prevent Cows from contracting lad Hahits tchile 
Milking. — Cows should always be treated with great gentleness, 
and soothed by mild usage, especially when young and ticklish, 
or when the paps are tender, in which case the udder ought to 
be fomented with warm water, before milking, and touched 
with the greatest gentleness, otherwise the cow will be in 
danger of contracting bad habits, becoming stubborn and un- 
ruly, and retaining her mOk ever after. A cow never lets 
down her milk pleasantly to the person she dreads or dislikes. 
The udder and paps should always be washed with clean water 
before milking ; but care should be taken that none of that 
water be admitted into the milking paii. 



10??2. To marl' Sheep, without injury to the Wool. — To thirty 
spoijnfuls of linseed oil, add two ounces of lithai^e and one 



EINTS ABOUT AGRICULTURK, ETC. 289 

ounce of lamp-black : unite them together by boiling, and mark 
the sheep therewith. 



1083. To improve the Wool of Sheep^ hy Smearing. — Imme- 
diately after the sheep are shoni, soak the roots of the wool 
that remain all over w^ith oil or butter and brimstone; and 
three or four days afterwards, w^ash them with salt and water. 
The wool of next season will not only be much finer, but the 
quantity will be in greater abundance. It may be depended 
upon, that the sheep will not be troubled with the scab or 
vermin that year. Salt water is a safe and effectual remedy 



1'084. To preserve Cattle from Disease in the Winter, — When 
cattle are kept out in the winter, it is recommended as an use- 
ful practice to rub some tar at the root of the horn, which pre- 
vents the wet from getting between the root and the skin, and, 
it is said, contributes to preserve the health of the animal, and 
to keep it iv^^ from various diseases to which it may otherwise 

be liable. 

* 

1085. How to Promote the Health of Farm AnimaU. — All 
domestic animals should be abundantly furnished with salt. A 
supply kept within their reach, whenever it can be done, is re- 
commended. Horses and pigs should occasionally have ashes 
given them in their food ; and pigs ought at all times, when 
confined in pens, to be supplied with charcoal, as, besides being 
a medicine, it is a cheap and valuable food. 



1086. Parsley recommended to Farmers to he sown icith B/jpe- 
seed, as a preservative against the Resp in Sheep, — A correspon- 
dent of the " Chester Chronicle *' recommends to all farmers 
who sow rape-seed, ta sow with it a small portion of parsley 
at the same time; this he pronounces an infallible preservative 
against the malady well-known by the name of resp^ in sheep : 
he also advises to sow parsley on turnip land at the time of 
hoeing turnips. The above correspondent asserts, that he has 
pursued this plan upwards of twenty-five years, and during that 
time he has never lost one sheep, either in rape or turnip land. 

Remark, — In some counties, parsley is sown with clover, on 
the supposition that it prevents cattle from being bursten, or 
hoven. 

19 



290 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

1087. How to catgh Sheep. — Never seize them by the wool 
on the back; it hurts them exceedingly, and, in some eases, 
has been known to kill them, particularly in hot weather, when 
they are large and fat. The best way is to avoid the wool alto- 
gether; accustom yourself to take them by the hind leg, or 
what is still better, by the neck, placing one hand under the 
jaws, and the other at the back of the ears. By lifting up the 
head, in this manner, a child may hold almost any sheep, with- 
out danger to the animal or himself. 



1088. Mr, BaJcewelVs Liquid for the cure of the Foot-ret in. 
Sheeny, — Dissolve four ounces, each, of vitriol and common 
alum, three ounces of verdigris, an ounce and a half of white 
mercury, and an ounce of white copperas, all finely pulverized, 
in a quart of white- wine vinegar. 



1089. Mr. Culley's Red Salve, to cure the Mot in Sheep. — 
Mix four ounces of the best honey, two ounces of burnt alum, 
reduced to powder, and half a pound of Armenian bole, with 
as much train or fish oil as will convert these ingredients into 
the consistence of a salve. The honey must first be gradually 
dissolved, when the Armenian bole must be stirred in ; after- 
wards the alum and train oil are to be added. 



1090. A profitohle way of fattening Pigs. — Put four pigs in 
a sty, for they feed best in company ; but if there are too many, 
they are apt to quarrel : feed them moderately the first week ; 
and thrice during the second week, mix with their barley-miCal 
as much antimony as will lie on a shilling; and the third week, 
twice give them the same quantity. I need scarcely observe, 
it is in powder. 

This purifies the blood, gives them an appetite, and makes 
them thrive apace. 



1091. Neio mode of fattening Pigs. — A pig lately gained, by 
feeding on Indian corn, in the course of six weeks acd three 
days, the enormous weight of fifteen stone. This mode of feed- 
ing has long been known to the Neapolitans, whose pigs are so 
fat^ as hardly to be able to move. 



GARDENING, ETC. gg^J 



GARDENING. 

1092. Proper situation for a Green-House, — The aspect of a 

green-house may be at any point from east to west, following 
the course of the sun ; or, it may even be a little to the north 
of east or west ; but only a little, and the less the better, other- 
wise the plants will not generally thrive in it, nor will the 
flowers acquire their natural colors. A south aspect is to be 
preferred. 

1093. On preserving Seeds of Plants in a state fit for Vege- 
tation. — Seeds of plants may be preserved, for many months 
at least, by causing them to be packed, either in husks, pods, 
(fee, in absorbent paper, with raisins or brown moist sugar; 
or, a good way, practised by gardeners, is to wrap the seed in 
brown paper or cartridge paper, pasted down, and then varnish- 
ed over. 



1094. To facilitate the Growth of Foreign Seeds, — Mr. Hum* 
boldt has found, that seeds which do not commonly germinate 
in our climate, or in our hot-houses, and which, of course, we 
cannot raise for our gardens, or hope to naturalize in our fields, 
become capable of germinating, when immersed for some days 
in a weak, oxygenized muriatic acid. This interesting discovery 
has already turned to advantage in several botanic gardens. 

1095. To plant and make Edgings, — Edgings of daisies, thrift, 
violets, gentianella, &c., should be planted in February ; but 
those of box succeed better, if planted in April or August. 

1096. To train Evergreen and other Hedges, — Evergreen 
hedges may be dipt about the beginning, but not later than 
the middle of April, as by that time they will begin to grow — 
and it is proper that this work should be previously performed. 
Some content themselves with clipping but once a year, in 
which case the end of July, or first of August, is a better time. 

In trimming these, or indeed any hedge intended as a close 
fence, they should be dressed up to a thin edge at top, as other- 
wise they are apt to get full of gaps below ; and the cause is 
obvious, that the under part, in square or cut hedges, is too 
much shaded by the upper part. Now, by sloping the sides, 



292' MRS. H ale's receipts for the million 

every part of the hedge is freely exposed to the air ; nor is any 
part over-dropped by another. A hedge, intended merely as 
a fence, need seldom be more than five feet high, or at most 
six. Screen hedges may be allowed to run to any height 
thought necessary for the purpose ; neither is it requisite to trim 
them so often as fence-hedges ; once a year, or in two years, 
may be sufficient. 

In the training of any hedge, it should not be topped or short- 
ened, till it has arrived at a full yard in height ; but it may 
then have a little taken off the points, in order to make it bush 
the better, and shoot afterwards of a more regular height ; the 
sides, however, should be trimmed from the second or third 
year of planting, that it may grow^ the more complete and close 
below, for therein consists the excellence of any fence. It should 
not in topping, at any time while in training, be much cut in, 
as that would make it push the stronger to the top, to the detri- 
ment of the sides. When fence-hedges outgrow their limits, 
they must, of course, be cut either w^holly or partly down ; but 
if they be tolerably well kept, it is seldom necessary to cut 
them down more than half to the ground. 



1097. How to cut Box lodgings, — Box edgings should be cut 
about the beginning of April, or in the end of July. They 
should, however, be cut once a year, and should be kept two 
inches in breadth at bottom ; being tapered up to a thin edge 
at top ; for nothing looks so ill as a large, bushy edging, espe- 
cially to a narrow w^alk. The use of edging is to separate the 
earth from the gravel ; and the larger they are allowed to grow, 
the less effectual they become ; getting the more open below, 
as they advance in height. Such also harbor snails, and other 
troublesome vermin. 



1098. A sure method of curing 6^rawZ- PTaZ^^.—Three parts 
pond-water to one of brine, from the salting-tub in a family, 
poured w^ith a watering-pot upon gravel- walks, will not only 
kill the moss upon them, but drive aw^ay the worms which 
make so many holes in them, and also prevent weeds springing 
up. This a gentleman lately tried, w^ho has several gravel- 
walks in a grove near his house. Since he moistened his w^alks 
with brine — which is now four years ago — they are incommoded 
neither by moss, weeds, nor worms. Every autumn he causes 
them to be well watered with the brine and pond-water, during 



GARDBNING, ETC. 293 

a whole week, to prevent moss ; and a week in the spring, to 
guard against weeds and worms ; besides giving them a sprink- 
ling every now and then, in the summer-season, when they 
seem to want it^ 



1099. Proper method of laying Carnations, — In summer, 
towards the latter-end of June, or any time in July or begin- 
ning of August, when the shoots of the year are advanced to a 
proper growth, being from four, five, or six, to seven or eight 
inches long, which are to be laid as they grow on the plants, 
and to remain affixed thereto till rooted on the ground. 

Thus far observed, begin the work by first clearing away all 
weeds about the plants, and loosen the earth a little around 
them, and if the surface is low, add some mould thereto suffi 
cient to raise it high enough to receive the layers easily ; then 
begin laying the shoots one by one ; strip off the lower leaves 
so as to have some inches of a clear shoot below ; and trim the 
top leaves shorter and even, and then slit or gash the shoot on 
the under side ; in doing which, fix on a joint about the middle 
of the shoot underneath, and with your sharp knife cut half 
through the joint, and slanting upwards, so as to slit the shoot 
up the middle half an inch, or but little more ; which done, 
directly lay it, by bending it down to the earth with the gash 
or slit part open, making an opening in the earth, and peg it 
down With one or two of the small-hooked sticks, and earth 
over the body of the layer an inch or two deep, still keeping 
the slit open and the top raised gently upright, pressing the 
earth moderately upon them ; and in this manner proceed with 
laying all the shoots on each plant ; and when all are laid, give 
a gentle watering to settle the earth close about the layers, 
and repeat it frequently iii dry weather. 

They will soon emit roots at the gash or slit part, generally at 
the bottom of the tongue, and in five or six weeks will often be 
rooted fit for separating and planting off from the parent, so 
that when they have been about five, six, or seven weeks laid, 
you will examine the progress they have made in rooting, by 
opening the earth gently about some of the layers ; and as 
soon as they appear to be tolerably rooted, let them be cut off 
from the old plant with a sharp knife, in order to be timely 
planted out in nursery beds, that they may root more abun- 
dantly, and get due strength before winter; observing, in cut- 
ting them off from the mother plant, to open the ground so as 



294. MRS. HALB's receipts for the MHbLlON. 

to take them up with all the roots they have made, and cut 
them clean off beyond the gash; afterwards trim off any naked 
woody part or bottom, but preserve all the roots, and trim the 
long tops a little, then plant them in nursery rows, six inches 
asunder, or you may prick some m small pots, one layer in 
each, giving water directly at planting, and repeat it often in 
dry weather till they take good root, and grow freely, keeping 
them clean from weeds. 

Those in the nursery beds will, by October, be good strong 
plants. The choicest sorts may then be planted in pots, to 
move under occasional shelter in time of severe frost, and for 
which purpose, either use small pots (32) to contain them all 
winter, or plant them in large pots (24 or 16) to remain to 
flower, observing to take them up out of the nursery beds for 
potting, &;c., with a garden trowel, each layer with a good ball 
of earth about the roots ; and having the pots ready, place a 
shell over the holes at bottom, and put some*^ood light rich 
earth therein ; plant one layer with its ball about the roots en- 
tire in each pot, fill up with more earth, and give some water ; 
you may also at the same time plant some of the more ordi- 
nary or common sorts into flower-borders or beds, to stand the 
full weather all the year ; but the choicer sorts in the pots may, 
in November, be placed close together, either in a garden- 
frame, to have occasional, protection of the glasses, or mats, in 
severe frost, and have the full air in all open weather and mild 
days, or may be plunged in a raised bed of any dry compost, 
raised some inches above the common level, and arched over 
with hoop arches, in order to be protected with occasional cov- 
ering of garden mats when hard frosts prevail ; but in either 
method, be sure to expose them fully in all open weather, as 
aforesaid. 

In the spring, such as have remained all winter in small pots 
should, in February or early in March, be turned out with the 
ball of earth about the root, and planted into larger pots, to 
remain for flowering, giving proper waterings-; and those which 
were potted at once into larger pots in autumn should now have 
the earth stirred at top, taking out some, and fill up with fresh 
good earth, and give a little water. 

The layers planted in the common borders of the pleasure 
and flower garden require no other care than keeping them 
clean from weeds, and tying up the flower stalks to sticks when 
they are advanced long enough to require support. 



GARDENING, ETC. 295 

1100. To remove Herhs and Mowers in the Summer, — If you 
have occasion to transplant in the summer season, let it be in 
the evening after the heat is past ; plant and vi^ater the same 
immediately, and there will be no danger from the heat next 
day ; but be careful, in digging up the earth, you do not break 
any of the young shoots, as the sap will exude out of the same 
to the great danger of the plants. 



1101. New Method of raising Cucumbers, — From the best 
seed that can be got of the common pnckly cucumber, raise 
plants on a moderate hot-bed, not hurrying them too much in 
their growth. In May, when the danger of the frost is nearly 
over, familiarize the plants, by degrees, to the air, and towards 
the latter end of the month plant them in the open ground 
against a south wall. Take care not to give them too much 
water, as that will injure the fruit. When they have run up 
about five feet, they will send forth blossoms, and the fruit will 
begin to show itself soon after. The flesh of cucumbers raised 
in this manner will be thicker and firmer, and the flavor vastly 
more delicious, than those raised from the «ame seed, but 
planted in the oi'dinary way, and the runners suffered to trail 
on the ground. Though a south wall in most gardens, is too 
much appropriated to other things, to give room for cucumbers 
in general, yet in every garden a few plants may be so trained 
by way of rarity, and to save seed, which is found to be greatly 
improved by this method, so as to produce much better 
cucumbers in the common way of raising them. One or two 
plants, so raised, will supply a sufficient quantity of seed for a 
large garden. 

Laying a cucumber or melon-bed with tiles, is also of par- 
ticular service in improving the fruit, and giving it a proper 
flavor. 



1102. To prevent the irregular Growth of Melons. — It is well 
known that melons frequently, in certain situations, lose their 
circular form, and grow larger on one side than the other, and 
that those misshapen fruits are always bad. To remedy this, 
take a small forked stick, in proportion to the size of the melon, 
and thrust it in the ground as nearly as possible to the tail of 
the fruit, taking the precaution to lay a little moss between the 
two prongs, and suspend the melon to this fork. In a few days 
the melon will resume its form, when the fork may be removed, 



296 MRS. hale's keceipts for the million. 

and the operation is finished. The quality of the fruit remaini 
unchanged, 

1103. Easg Method of producing Mushrooms. — If the water 
wherein mushrooms have been steeped or washed be poured 
upon an old bed, or if the broken parts of mushrooms be 
strewed thereon, there will speedily arise great numbers. 



1104. To obtain a good Crop of Onions, — In order to obtain 
a good crop of onions, it is proper to sow at different seasons, 
viz., in light soils, in August, January, or early in February ; 
and in heavy wet soils, in March, or early in April. Onions, 
however, should not be sown in January, unless the ground be 
in a dry state, which is not often the case at so early a period 
of the season ; but if so, advantage should be taken of it. 



1105. The Advantage of sowing Peas in Circles instead of 
straight JRoivs. — It is a great error in those persons who sow 
the rows of tall-growing peas close together. It is much better 
in all those sorts, which grow six or eight feet high, to have 
only one row, and then to leave a bed ten or twelve feet wide 
for onions, carrots, or any crops which do not grow tall. 

The advantages which will be derived are, that the peas will 
not be drawn up so much, be stronger, will flower much nearer 
to the ground, and in wet weather can be more easily gathered 
without wetting you. 

But instead of sowing peas in straight rows, if you will form 
the ground into circles of three feet diameter, with a space of 
two feet between each circle, in a row thirty feet long, you will 
have six circles of peas, each nine feet, in all fifty -four feet of 
peas, instead of thirty, on the same extent of ground. 

If you want more than one row of circles, leave a bed of ten 
or twelve feet before you begin another. 

For the very tall sorts, four feet circles will afford more 
room for the roots to grow in, and care must be taken, by ap- 
plying some tender twigs, or strings, to prevent the circles from 
joining each other. 

This method is equally applicable for scarlet-beans. 



1106. To raise Peas in Autumn, and to prevent Mice from 
eating them when sown, — The purple-flowered peas are found to 
answer best for a late crop in autumn, as they are not so liable 



GAEDENINQ, ETC. 297 

to be mildewed as m^ny of the other sorts, and will continue 
flowering till the frost stops them. 

Those peas may be sown in July, August, or so late as the 
first week in Septerfiber, if sown in a warm, sheltered situation, 
and in a soil inclining to sand. 

Soak the peas in warm milk, and after you have drawn the 
drills, water them before you sow the peas ; it is best to sow 
them towards the evening. If the autumn should prove very 
dry, they will require frequent watering. 

When peas are sown before winter, or early in spring, they 
are very apt to be eaten by mice. 

To prevent this, soak the peas for a day or two in train oil 
before you sow them, which will encourage their vegetation, 
and render them so obnoxious to the mice, that they will not 
eat them. * 



1107. Method of cultivating Radishes for Salad^ so as to have 
them ready at all seasons of the year, — Take seeds of the common 
radish, and lay them in rain-water to steep for twenty-four hours ; 
then put them quite wet into a small linen bag, well tied at the 
mouth with packthread. If you have steeped a large quantity 
of seeds, you may divide them into several bags. Then expose 
the bags in a place where they will receive the greatest heat of 
the sun, for about twenty-four hours, at the end of which time 
the seed will begin to grow, and you may then sow it in the 
usual manner, in earth well exposed to the heat of the sun. 
Prepare two small tubs to cover each other exactly. These 
may be easily provided, by sawing a small cask through the 
middle, and they will serve in winter ; in summer one will be 
sufficient for each kind of earth that has been sown. As soon 
as you have sown your seeds you must cover them with your 
tub, and at the end of three days you will find radishes of the 
size and thickness of young lettuces, having at their extremities 
two small round leaves, rising from the earth, of a reddish 
color. These radishes, cut or pulled up, will be excellent, if 
mixed with salad, and they have a much more delicate taste 
than the common radishes which are eaten with salt. 

By taking the following precautions, you may have them in 
the winter, and even during the hardest frosts : After having 
steeped the seeds in warm water, and exposed them to the sun, 
as already directed, or in a place sufficiently hot to make them 
bhoot forth, warm the two tubs ; fill one of them with earth 

13* 



298 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

well dunged ; sow your seeds; thus prepared, in one of them^ 
and cover it with the other tub ; you must then be careful to 
sprinkle it with warm water as often as may be necessary. 
Then carry the two tubs closely joined, taking care they cover 
each other, into a warm vault, or cellar, and at the end of fif- 
teen days you may gather a fine salad. 



1108. To preserve Strawberry Plants from the Heat of the 
Sun, dec. — Sir Joseph Banks, from a variety of experiments, 
and the experience of many years, recommends a general revi- 
val of the Jiow almost obsolete practice of laying straw under 
strawberry-plants, when the fruit begins to swell ; by which 
means the roots- are shaded from the sun, the waste of moisture 
by evaporation prevented, the leaning fruit kept from damage 
by resting on the ground, particularly in wet weather, and 
much labor in watering saved. Twenty trusses of long straw 
are suflftcient for 1800 feet of plants. 

1109. iJirections for managing Strawberries in Summer, — On 
the management of strawberries in June and July, the future 
prosperity of them greatly depends ; and if each plant has not 
been kept separate, by cutting oflf the runners, they will be in 
a state of confusion, and you will find three different sorts of 
plants. ^ 

1. Old plants, whose roots are turned black, hard, and 
woody. 

2. Young plants, not strong enough to flower. 

3. Flowering plants, which ought only to be there, and per 
haps not many of them. 

Before the time of flowering is quite over, examine them, 
and pull up every old plant which has not flowered ; for, if 
once they have omitted to flower, you may depend upon it 
they never will produce any after, being too old, and past bear- 
ing ; but to be fully convinced, leave two or three, set a stick 
to them, and observe them the next year. 

If the young plants, runners of last year, be too thick, take 
some of them away, and do not leave them nearer than a foot 
of the scarlet, alpines, and w^ood, and fifteen or sixteen inches 
of all the larger sorts ; and in the first rainy weather in July or 
A.ugust, take them all up, and make a fresh plantation with 
them, and they will be very strong plants for flowering next 
year* 



GARDENING, ETC. 299 

Old beds, even if the plants be kept single at their proper 
distance, examine, and pull all the old plants which have not 
flowered. 

When the fruit is nearly all gathered, examine them again, 
and cut off the runners ; but if you want to make a fresh plant- 
ation, leave some of the two first, and cut off all the rest. Then 
stir up the ground with a trowel, or three-pronged fork, and in 
August they will be fit to transplant. 

If you have omitted in July, do not fail in August, that the 
runners may make good roots, to be transplanted in Septem 
ber ; for, if later, the worms wHl draw them out of the ground, 
and the frost afterwards will prevent them from striking root ; 
the consequence of which is, their not flowering the next spring ; 
and you will lose a year. 



1110. To cultivate the common Garden Rhubarb, — It is not 
enough to give it depth of good soil, but it must be watered in 
drought ; and in winter must be well covered with straw or 
dung. If this is attended to, your rhubarb will be solid when 
taken out of the ground ; and your kitchen, if a warm one, 
will soon fit it for use. 



1111. Method of cultivating and curing Turkey Rhubarb from 
Seed. — The seed should be sown about the beginning of Febru- 
ary, on a bed of good soil, (if rather sandy, the better) exposed 
to an east or west aspect in preference to the south ; a full sua 
being prejudicial to the vegetation of the seeds, and to the 
plants whilst young. 

The seeds are best sown moderately thick, (broad cast) tread 
ing them regularly in, as is usual with parsnips and other light 
seeds, and then raking the ground smooth. When the season 
is wet, make a bed for sowing the rhubarb seeds upon, about 
two feet thick, with new dung from the stable, covering it near 
)ne foot thick with good soil. The intent of this bed is not for 
the sake of warmth, but solely to prevent the rising of earth- 
worms, which in a moist season will frequently destroy the 
young crop. 

If the seed is good, the plants often rise too thick ; if so, 
when they have attained six leaves, they should be taken up 
carefully, (where too close), leaving the standing crop eight or 
ten inches apart : those taken up may be planted at the same 
distance in a fresh spot of ground, in order to furnish other 



300 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

plantations. When the plants in general are grown to the size 
that cabbage-plants are usually set out for a standing crop, they 
are best planted where they are to remain, in beds four feet 
wide, one row along the middle of the bed, leaving two yards' 
distance between the plants, allowing an alley between the beds 
about a foot wide, for conveniency of weeding the plants. 

In the autumn, when the decayed leaves are removed, if the 
shoveling of the alleys is thrown over the crowns of the plants, 
it will be found of service. 



1112. Cultivation of Turkey Rhubarb^ by offsets. — Slip off 
several offsets from the heads of large plants; set them with 
a dibble about a foot apart, in order to remove them into ^ther 
beds ; and, in the autumn, they will be in a thriving state. 

>^1113. Method of curing Rhubarb. — The plants may be taken 
up, either early in the spring or in autumn, when the leaves 
are decayed, in dry weather, if possible : when the roots are to 
be cleared from dirt, (without washing,) let them be cut into 
pieces, and, with a sharp knife, freed from the outer coat, and 
exposed to the sun and air for a few days, to render the outside 
a little dry. 

In order to accelerate the curing of the largest pieces, a hole 
may be scooped out with a pen-knife ; these and the smaller 
parts are then to be strung on packthread, and hung up in a 
warm room, where it is to remain till perfectly dry. Each 
piece may be rendered more sightly by a common file, fixing it 
in a small vice during that operation ; afterwards rub over it 
a very fine powder, which the small roots furnish in beautiful 
perfection, for this and every other purpose where rhubarb is 
required. 

An easier and simpler method of drying rhubarb is, after 
cutting the root into handsome pieces, to wrap up each sepa- 
rately, in one or more pieces of whitish-brown paper, and then 
to place them on th^hob of a common Bath stove. Lemon 
and orange-peel dry beautifully in this way. 



1114. Proper Soil for the culture of Turnips, — Sandy loams, 
in good heart, are most favorable to their growth, though they 
will thrive well on strong loams, if they are not wet ; but on 
clayey, thin, or wet soils, they are not worth cultivating; for 
though a good crop may be raiseu on such ground, when weil 



GARDENING, ETC. 301 

prepared and dunged, more damage is done by taking off the 
turnips in winter, in poaching* the soil, than the value of the 
crop will repay. 

1115. Preservation of Succulent Plants, — Green succulent 
plants are better preserved after a momentary immersion in 
boiling water, than otherwise. This practice has been success- 
fully used in the preservation of cabbage and other plants, dried 
for keeping; it destroys the vegetable life at once, and, in a 
great degree, prevents that decay which otherwise attends them. 

IIIG. Various useful properties of Tobacco to Gardeners. — 
Tobacco is employed for so many different uses, that there is 
no person possessed of a garden but will find both pleasure 
and profit in the cultivation of it, especially as it is now at 
such a high price. The seed is very cheap, and may be pro- 
cured of most nurserymen, and will answer the same end as 
the foreign for most purposes, and considerably cheaper. 

Uses to which it may he applied. — 1. To florists, for two ele- 
gant annual plants to decorate the borders of the flower-garden ; 
or, on account of their height, to fill up vacant places in the 
shrubberies ; or, when put into pots, they will be very orna- 
mental in the green-house during the winter. 

2. Kitchen-gardeners would in a few days lose their crops 
of melons, if not immediately fumigated with tobacco-smoke, 
when attacked by the red spider ; and it is useful to destroy 
the black flies on cucumbers in frames. 

3. Fruit-gardeners. When peach and nectarine-trees have 
their leaves curled up, and the shoots covered with smother- 
flies ; or, the cherry-trees have the ends of the shoots infested 
with the black dolphin-fly ; canvas, pack-sheets, or doubled 
mats, nailed before them, and frequently fumigated under them, 
will destroy those insects. 

4. Forcing-gardeners, who raise roses and kidney-beans in 
stoves, can soon destroy the green flies which cover the stalks 
and buds of roses, and the insects which appear like a mildew 
on kidney-beans, by the assistance of the fumigating bellows. 

5. Nurserymen. When the young shoots of standard cherry- 
trees, or any other trees, are covered with the black dolphin- 
flies, an infusion is made with the leaves and stalks of tobacco ; 
a quantity is put into an earthen pan, or small, oblong wooden 
trough ; one person holds this up, whilst another gently bends 



302 MRS. half/s eeceipts for the million. 

the top of each tree, and lets the branches remain about a minute 
in the liquor, which destroys th^m. 

G. Graziers, when their sheep are infected with the scab, find 
relief from making a sheep-water with an infusion of the leaves 
and stalks. Moles, w^hen only a few hills are at first observed, 
may probably be soon driven out of the ground, by fumigating 
their holes. 

7. Herb tobacco is also greatly improved by having some of 
the leaves, when dried, cut with a pair of scissors, and mixed 
with the herbs in any quantity you may think proper, according 
to the strength you require, and save you the expense of buying 
tobacco. 

The herbs generally used for this purpose are colt's-foot and 
wood betony-leaves ; the leaves and flowers of lavender, rose- 
mary, thyme, and some others of the like nature. 



THE ORCHARD. 

1117. To prevent Blossom and Fruit-trees from being damaged 
by early Spring Frost, — If a rope (a hempen one, it is presumed) 
be introduced among the branches of a fruit-tree la blossom, 
and the end of it brought down, so as to terminate in a bucket 
of water ; and, should a slight frost take place in the night- 
time, in that case the tree will not be affected by the frost ; 
but a film of ice, of considerable thickness, will be formed on 
the surface of the bucket in which the rope's-end is immersed, 
although it has often happened that another bucket of water, 
placed beside it for the sake of experiment, has had no ice at all 
upon it. 

1118. Chinese mode of propagating Fruit-trees, — The ingenious 
people of China have a common method of propagating several 
kinds of fruit-trees, which of late years has been practised with 
success in Bengal. The method is simply this : — They strip 
a ring of bark, about an inch in width, from a bearing branch, 
surround the place with a ball of fat earth, or loam, bound fast 
to the branch with a piece of matting : over this they suspend 
a pot or horn, w^ith water, having a small hole in the bottom 
just sufficient to let the water drop, in order to keep the earth 
constantly moist. The branch throws new roots into the earth 
just above the place where the ring of bark was stripped cfF. 



THE ORCnARD, ETC. 303 

rhe operation is performed in the spring, and the branch is 
Bawed off and put into the ground at the fall of the leaf. The 
following year it will bear fruit. 

1119. To improve Fruit-trees hij attention to the Color of tht 
Soil, — The color and also the quality of soils have an effect 
on the color and flavor of fruits — even on the color of many 
flowers. The effects of the color of soils on that of fruits, are 
most perceptible on the delicate kinds, such as grapes, peaches, 
&c. ; but to a nice observer, it extends in a greater or less de- 
gree to all fruits. For instance, if two black Hamburgh grapes, 
made from the cuttings of the same plant, shall be planted, the 
one in a dry, hazelly loam, and the other in a moist, black earth, 
the fruit of the one will be brown, or of a grizzly color, and the 
other very dark red or black ; and the grape will be more juicy, 
though better in flavor, than the other grown in a dryer soil. 



1120. To increase the Growth in Trees. — It may be depended 
upon as a fact, that by occasionally washing the stems of trees, 
their growth will be greatly increased ; for several recent experi- 
ments have proved, that all the ingredients of vegetation united, 
which are received from the roots, stem, branches, and leaves 
of a mossy and dirty tree, do not produce half the increase 
either in wood or fruit, that another gains whose stem is clean. 
It is clearly obvious, that proper nourishment cannot be re- 
ceived from rain, for the dirty stem will retain the moisture 
longer than when clean ; and the moss and dirt will absorb the 
finest parts of the dew, and likewise act as a screen, by de- 
priving the tree of that share of sun and air which it requires. 

A common scrubbing-brush and clean water is all that is ne- 
cessary, only care must be observed not to injure the bark. 



1121. To prevent Hares and Rahhits from Barking young 
Plantations. — Hares, rabbits, and rats, have a natural antipathy 
^'to tar; but tar, though fluid, contracts, when exposed to the 
sun and air for a time, a great dryness and a very binding 
quality ; and if applied to trees in its natural state, will occasion 
them to be bark-bound. To remove this difliculty, tar is of so 
strong a savor, that a small quantity mixed with other things, 
in then- nature open and loose, will give the whole mixture such 
a degree of its own taste and smell, as will prevent hares, dsc, 
touching what it is applied to. 



304 MRS. HALE^S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

"Take anj quantity of tar, and six or seven times as much 
grease, stirring and mixing them well together ; with this com- 
position brush the stems of young trees, as high as hares, &c., 
can reach ; and it will effectually prevent their being barked. 



1122 Bad effects of Iron Nails ^ c&c, on Fruit-trees^ or mis- 
chievous effects of Iron Nails ^ in conjunction loith Branches of 
Fruit-trees — It often happens that some of the limbs of fruit- 
trees, trained against a wall, are blighted and die, while others 
remain in a healthy and flourishing state. This has been 
hitherto erroneously attributed to the" effects of lightning; but, 
from closer observation, and from several experiments, it has 
been found to arise from the corroding effects of the rust of the 
nails and cramps with which trees in this situation are fastened. 
To avoid this inconvenience, therefore, it requires only to be 
careful in preventing the iron from coming in contact with the 
bark of the trees. 



1123. To destroy Moss on Trees. — Remove it with a hard 
scrubbing-brush, in February and March, and wash the trees 
with cow-dung, urine, and soap-suds. 

1124. Necessity of taking off superfluous Suckers from Shrubs. 
< — Many flowering shrubs put out strong suckers from the root, 
such as lilacs, syringa, and some of the kinds of roses, which 
take greatly from the strength of the mother-plant ; and which, 
if not wanted for the purpose of planting next season, should 
be twisted off* or otherwise destroyed. 



1125. To cure the Disease in Apple-trees. — Brush oflT the 
white down, clear off the red stain underneath it, and anoint 
the places infected with a liquid mixture of train-oil and Scotch- 
snuff. 



1126. To cure the Canker in Trees. — Cut them off to the 
quick, and apply a piece of sound bark from any other tree, 
and bind it on with a flannel roller. Cut off the canker, and 
a new shoot will grow strong, but in a year or two you will 
find it cankered. 



1127. A method of curing Fruit-trees infected with an Easterly 
Blight. — Where valuable fruit-trees are infected with this blight, 



OllCHAllDS, TPvEES, ETC. 305 

they may^ with little trouble and expense be in a short time 
cured, by fumigating them with brimstone strewed on lighted 
charcoal; this effectually kills it; but the workman must ob- 
serve to get to windward of the trees, as the fumes, both of 
brimstone and charcoal, are very offensive and pernicious. 

Mr. Miller recommends washing and sprinkling the blighted 
trees from time to time, with common water, {that is, such as 
hath not had anything steeped in it,) and the sooner that is 
performed, (whenever we apprehend danger,) the better ; and 
if the young and tender shoots seem to be much infected, wash 
them with a woollen cloth, so as to clear them, if possible, 
from all glutinous matter, that their respiration and perspiration 
may not be obstructed ; and if some broad, flat pans, or tubs, 
are placed near the trees, it will keep their tender parts in a 
ductile state, and greatly help them ; but whenever this ope- 
ration of washing the trees is performed, it should be early in . 
the day, that the moisture may be exhaled before the cold 
of the night comes on, especially if the nights are frosty; nor 
should it be done when the sun shines very hot upon the wall, 
which would be subject to scorch up the tender blossom. 



1128. Experienced method of healing Wounds in Trees, — This 
method consists in making a varnish of common linseed oil, 
rendered very drying, by boiling it, for the space of an hour, 
with an ounce of litharge to each pound of oil, mixed with 
calcined bones, pulverized and sifted, to the consistence of an 
almxost liquid paste. With this paste the wounds of trees are 
to be covered, by means of a brush, after the bark and other 
substance have been pared, so as to render the whole as smooth 
and even as possible. The varnish must be applied in dry 
weather, in order that it may attach itself properly. 



1129. Composition for healing Wounds in Trees, — Take of 
dry, pounded chalk, three measures ; add of common vegetable 
tar, one measure ; mix them thoroughly, and boil them, with 
a low heat, till the composition becomes of the consistency of 
bees'-wax : it may be preserved for use, in this state, for any 
length of time. If chalk cannot conveniently be got, dry bricks 
dust may be substituted. 

Application, — After the broken or decayed limb has been 
sawed off, the whole of the saw-cut must be very carefully pared 
away, and the rough edges of the bark, in particular nmst be 

20 



306 MRS. hale's receipts for thb million. 

made quite smooth ; the doing of this properly is of great con- 
sequence then lay on the above composition, hot, about the 
thickness of half-a-dollar, over the wounded place, and over tho 
edges of the surrounding bark ; it should be spread with a hot 
trowel. 



1130. To prune Wall Fruit, — Cut off all fresh shoots, how- 
ever fair they may appear to the eye, that will not, without 
much bending, be well placed to the wall ; for if any branch 
happen to be twisted or bruised in the bending or turning 
(which you may not easily perceive), although it may grow 
and prosper for the present, yet it will decay in time, and the 
sap or gum will issue from that place. 

1131. To prime Vines to Advantage, — In pruning vines, leave 
some new branches every year, and take away (if too many) 
some of the old, which will be of great advantage to the tree, 
and much increase the quantity of fruit. 

When you trim your vine, leave two knots, and cut them 
off the next time ; for, usually, the two buds yield a bunch of 
grapes. Vines, thus pruned, have been known to bear abun- 
dantly, whereas others that have been cut close to please the 
eye, have been almost barren of fruit. 

1132. The most proper Times when Leaves of Trees ought to 
he collected for pharmaceutical and economical Purposes. — It is at 
that period when the plant is in full flower, that the leaves pos- 
sess their full virtue. They drop off when their particular life 
has terminated. 



TIMBER. 

1133. To promote the Growth of Forest-tr^es, — It is highly to 
be censured, the neglect of permitting ivy-twines, which grow 
to forest-trees, to remain attached to them. Their roots enter- 
ing into the bark, rob the trees of much of their nourishment ; 
they in a manner strangle their supporters, by impeding the 
circulation of their juices, and in time destroy the trees. They 
should be torn up by the roots, for, if any part of them adhere 
to the tree, they will spread, as they obtain nourishment by their 
adhering roots. 



TIMBER, BnADB TREES, BTO 8Q1 

1134. White-washing the Trunks of Trees ^ recommended,-^ 
Being one day upon a visit (observes Mr. Northmore, who 
recommends this experiment) at m^ friend's near Yarmouth, 
in the Isle of Wight, I remarked that several of the trunks of 
trees in his orchard had been covered with whitewash ; upon 
hiquiring the reason, he replied, that he had done it with a view 
'to keep oif the hares, and other animals, and that it was 
attended not only with that good effect, but several others, for 
it made the rind smooth and compact, by closing up the cracks ; 
it entirely destroyed the moss; and as the rains washed off the 
lime, it manured the roots. These several advantages, derived 
from so simple a practice, deserve to be more generally known. 
The white-wash is made in the usual manner with lime, and . 
may be appl <».d twice, or oftener, if necessary. 



1135. To cure Wounds in Trees, — Wounds in trees are best 
cured by covering them with a coat of common lead paint with- 
out turpentine (for turpentine is poison to vegetation) in the 
sun, on a fine dry day. 

1136. Trees for Shade, Nursery Trees, c&c, — Forest Trees 
selected for shade should be of kinds not liable to be attacked 
by worms and insects. The rock or sugar maple is always re- 
markably free from worms, and it makes the most dense and 
beautiful shade of all our deciduous trees. This is becoming a 
very popular tree, and we hope to see it extensively propa 
gated. There is no more risk in transplanting this than the 
elm, and the limbs are not liable to be broken by the winds 
and snow. 

We believe it is generally admitted that transplanted trees 
succeed best when their early growth has been in soil similar 
to that for which they are destined to be placed permanently. 
If raised in such a soil, and transplanted to that which is thin 
and poor, they seem to receive a shock from which with diffi- 
culty they recover. As a gentleman once remarked, it is like 
feeding a calf with all the milk he will take till he is six 
months old, and then suddenly turning him off to live on a short 
pasture. 

Large trees may be as successfully planted as small ones. 
The mode and result of an experiment made by Messrs. Pome- 
roy and Dutton, of Utica, are thus given : Those gentlemen 
transplanted trees, comprising maples, elm, beech, &c., some 



808 MRS. iiale's receipts for the million. 

thirty feet in height, which were transplanted without being 
shorn of any of their branches. The process of removal was aa 
follows : — In the fall, before the frost, a trench was dug around 
the trees selected, from ten to fifteen feet in diameter, and the 
roots severed. In the winter when the ground had become 
solid from freezing, the trees were pulled out by the aid of 
oxen and levers, with the mass of earth firmly attached to the 
roots. They were then transported erect on a strong sled, built 
for the purpose, and set out. 

These trees grew in open land, a mile and a half from the 
city. They put on their foliage last spring, as if wholly uncon- 
scious that they were not still in their native soil, and the en- 
• terprising gentlemen who undertook this unusual course, are 
rewarded with shade trees which by the old practice it would 
have required twenty years to produce. 

Summer pruning is sometimes necessary in order to give form 
and proper direction to nursery trees, and standard trees may 
need thinning, in order to expose the fruit to light and air; but 
in pruning trees thoroughly, particularly if large limbs are to 
be cut off, it is best to defer the business till the last of July, 
August, or the former part of September. 

Late in summer and early in autumn, the bark does not peel 
as it does early in the summer, when it often starts from the 
tree which is injured by going into trees and stepping on limbs 
with hard shoe.^. The sap will ooze out of some trees early in 
summer, which not only injures them generally, but it often 
causes the wounded part to decay. 

But in late pruning, the wood, when the branch is cut off, be- 
comes sound and well seasoned; and though it may not heal 
over so readily as when cut early in summer or spring, it re 
mains in a healthy state. 



1137. To preserve Wood in Damp Situations, — Two coats of 
the following preparation are to be applied, after which the 
wood is subject to no deterioration whatever from humidity. 
Twelve pounds of resin are to be beaten in a mortar, to which 
three pounds of sulphur and twelve pints of whale oil are to be 
added. This mixture is to be melted over the fire, and stirred 
during the operation. Ochre, reduced to an impalpable pow- 
der, by triturating it with oil, may then be combined in the 



TIMBER, SHADE TREES, ETC. ^ 309 

proportion necessary to give either a lighter or a darker color 
to the material. The first coat should be put on lightly, having 
been previously heated ; the second may be applied in twa 
or three days, and a third after an equal interval, if from the 
peculiar dampness of the situation it should be judged expe- 
dient. 

Remark. — It is highly probable (though the experiment has 
not been tried) that this composition would be improved by 
adding a small portion of the liquid leather, which is now com- 
monly sold in London, being the refuse of the purification of 
fish oil by tar. 

Where the work will bear the expense, and is not exposed to 
a heat of more than 130 degrees of Fahrenheit, the best com- 
position is the following : Equal parts of turpentine (the fluid 
resin, not the essential oil), bees'-wax, black resin and maltha, 
or coal tar, boiled together till they cease to rise — that is, till 
the white cream or scum proceeding from the separation of the 
essential oil disappears. Apply it warm with a turpentine 
brush— two or three coats, to cover the cracks or pores left by 
the brush. This lute was first proposed by Chaptal, without 
the addition of the coal tar, which is a gr^at improvement. A 
piece of wood covered with three coats cif it, and immersed for 
two years in water, was found to be quite dry on cutting off'the 
lute. 

Take care not to allow water to fall ir to the pan, as it would 
make. the hot materials explode. If the composition catch fire, 
put on the cover directly, and remove the pan for an instant 
from the fire. 



1138. Cause and Prevention of the Lry Rot, — The cause of 
the dry rot in wood is moisture; and to prevent well-dried 
timber from decaying above or under ground, is done by char- 
ring it well. 



1139. Cure for the Dry Rot in Timber^ so as to make it inde" 
, structible by Water, — Melt twelve ounces of resin in an iron 
pot; add three gallons of train oil, and three or four rolls of 
brimstone ; and when the brimstone and resin are melted and 
become thin, add as much Spanish brown, or red and yellow 
ochre, or any other color required, first ground fine with the 
same oil, as will give the whole a shade (^f the depth preferred ; 
then lay it on with a brush as hot and thin as possible ; som« 



810 m;is. bale's receipts for the million. 

time after the first coat is dried, give it a second. This prepa^ 
ration will preserve planks for ages, and keep the weather from 
driving through brick work. 

1140. Method of trying the Goodness of Timber for Ship* 
building, used in the Arsenal at Vienna. — One person applies 
his ear to the centre of one end of the trunk, while another, 
with a key, hits the other end with a gentle stroke. If the 
tree be sound and good, the stroke will be distinctly heard at 
the other end, though the tree should be a hundred feet or 
more in length. 



1141. To season and render Green Timber immediately fit 
for use, — After the timber has been cut down from the stock, 
take off, immediately, both the outer bark and also the inner 
rind, clean to the wood ; cut it up to the diffei'cnt purposes for 
which it may be wanted, whether scantlings for roofings, joists, 
planks, deals, or the like. After preparing them for their 
proper use, steep them in lime-water a few days, or pay them 
over with a little of the lime, along with the water. The hotter 
it is used after the lime is slaked, so much the better. Lime- 
water is made by slaking the lime-shells in water. This will 
answer equally well for round trees. The author of this method 
says, he has been, for a great number of years past, used to 
take down and repair both ancient and modern buildings, in 
which a good deal of Scots fir had been used, but he never 
found one inch either rotten or worm-eaten, where it was in the 
least connected with lime, and kept dry; on the contrary, he 
found it more hard and firm than when first used. 



BUILDING. 

1142. Artificial Stone Floors and Coverings for Houses^ as 
made in some parts of Russia, — The floors and coverings of 
houses, in some parts of South Russia, are made in the follow- 
ing manner : — For a floor, let the ground be made even, and 
some stones of any shape be put on, and, with a heavy wooden 
rammer, force or beat the stones into the ground, continuing 
to beat the floor till it become quite even, and incapable of 
receiving any farther impression. Then run lime, immediately 
after it has been slaked, through a fine sieve, as expeditiously 



BUILDING, ETC. 311 

as possible, because exposure to the air weakens the lime. Mix 
two parts of coarse sand, or washed gravel, (for there must be 
no earth in it,) with one part of lime-powder, and wet them 
with bullocks' blood ; so little moist, however, as merely to 
prevent the lime from blowing away in powder ; in short, the 
less moist, the better. Spread it on the floor, and, without a 
moment's loss of time, let several men be ready, with large 
beetles, to beat the mixture, which will become more and more 
moist by the excessive beating requisite. Then put on it some 
of the dry sand and lime, mixed, and beat it till like a stone. 
If required to be very fine, take for the next layer finely-sifted 
lime, with about a tenth part of rye-flour, and a little ox-blood ; 
beat it till it becomes a very stifl" mortar, and then smooth it 
with a trowel. The next day, again smooth it with a trowel ; 
and so continue to do, daily, till it be entirely dry. When 
it is quite dry and hard, rub it over with fresh ox-blood, taking 
off* all which it will not imbibe. No wet vvill penetrate this 
composition, which, hov/ever, after some time, is often painted 
with oil-colors. The whole floor appears as a single stone, and 
nothing will aflfect it. The drier it is used, the better, provided 
that, with much beating, it becomes like a very stiff" mortar, 
and evidently forms a compact body. On flat tops of houses, 
the beetle, or rammers' ends, must be smaller, to prevent the 
rebounding of the boards and timber, which would crack the 
cement; but, when the thickness of afoot is laid on, it will 
beat more firmly. A thin coating of ox-blood, flour, and lime, 
being beat in large, strong, wooden troughs, or mortar, till it 
can be spread with a trowel, may be used without beating it 
again on the floor or house-top ; but it nmst be very stiffj and 
used most expeditiously. Even frost will not affect it. With 
this composition, artificial stone may be made, rammed very 
hard into strong wooden frames of the required shape ; particu- 
larly to turn arches for buildings of rammed earth, it is well 
known, that earth which is not too argillaceous, with only the 
moisture it has when fresh dug, on being rammed between 
frames of wood, till the rammer will no longer impress it, 
makes eternal walls ; but a mass as hard as stone may be made 
with a little linie added to sand, horse-dung, and ox-blood. 
The more the lime is beaten, the moister it becomes ; and it 
must contain so much moisture as to become, by beating, a 
solid mass, adhering in all its parts, and not remain crumbling, 
that will properly set as mortar, if there be too little moisture 



312 MRS. u ale's receii'ts for the million. 

at first, it will remain a powder ; if there be too much, it will 
become a soft mortar. Lime is of no use, mixed with clay or 
vegetable earths ; which, if well beaten, are stronger without it. 



1143. To cure Damp Walls. — Boil two quarts of tar, with 
two ounces of kitchen-grease, for a quarter of an hour, in an 
iron pot. Add some of this tar to a mixture of slaked lime 
and powdered glass, which have passed through a flour-sieve, 
and been completely dried over the fire in an iron pot, in tho 
proportion of two parts of lime and one of ghiss, till the mix- 
ture becomes of the consistence of thin plaster. The cement 
must be used immediately after being mixed, and therefore it 
is proper not to mix more of it than will coat one square foot 
of wall, since it quickly becomes too hard for use ; and care 
must be taken to prevent any moisture from mixing with the 
cement. For a wall merely damp, a coating one-eighth of an 
inch thick is sufHcient; but if the wall is wet, there must be a 
second coat. Plaster made of lime, hair, and plaster of Paris, 
may afterwards be laid on as a cement. The cement abovo 
described will unite the parts of Portland stone or marble, so 
as to make them as durable as they were prior to the fracture. 



1144. To increase the Darahility of Tiles for covering Biuld- 
ings, — The following composition has been found to be of 
extraordinary durability, as a glazing or varnish for tiles. No 
sort of weather, even for a considerable length of time, has had 
any effect upon it. It prevents that absorption of water, by 
which common tiles are rendered liable to crumble into dust, 
hinders the shivering of tiles, and gives to red bricks a soft 
lustre, by which their appearance is much improved. 

Over a weak fire heat a bottle of linseed oil, w^ith an ounco 
of litharge, and a small portion of minium, till such time as a 
feather, used in stirring it, shall be burnt to the degree of being 
easily rubbed to powder between the fingers. Then take ofl* 
the varnish, let it cool, clarify it Irom any impurities which 
may have fallen to the bottom, and heat it again. Having, 
in the mean time, melted from three to four ounces of pitch, 
mix this with the warm varnish. The specific gravity of the 
pitch hinders it from mingling thoroughly wifh the varnish, 
though it even remain so long upon the fire as to be cvapo 
rated to considerable thickness. It is not till the varnish bo 
cooled, nearly to the consistency of common syrup, that this 



BUILDING, ETC* 813 

effect lakes place in the requisite degree. If it be too thick, 
let hot varnish be added, to bring it to the proper consistency ; 
if it be too thin, add melted pitch. Next, put in as much brick- 
dust as the mixture can receive, without being made too thick 
for convenient use. The finer the brick-dust, and the easier 
it is to be moved with the point of a pencil, so much the fitter 
will it be to fill up the chinks and unevenness of the bricks, 
and, as it were, to incorporate itself with their substance. Pre- 
pare the brick-dust in the following manner : — Take a certain 
number of pieces of good brick, beat them into dust, and sift 
the dust in a hair-sieve. Then, to improve its fineness, rub it 
on a stone with water, dry it, and mix it with the varnish in 
the necessary proportion. If the brick-dust be naturally of too 
dark a color, a portion of some that is brighter may be added, 
to make the color clear. 

It is to be laid on the tiles in the same manner in which 
oil-colors in general are put upon the substances on which they 
are applied. The composition must be heated from time to 
time, when it is to be used. 



^1 



1145. Economical Method of employing Tiles for the Roofs 
of Houses. — A French architect (M. Castala) has invented a 
new method of employing tiles for the roofs of houses, so as to 
save one half of the quantity usually employed for that pur- 
pose. The tiles are made of a square instead of an oblong 
form ; and the hook that fastens them is at one of the angles, 
BO that, when fastened to the laths, they hang down diagonally^ 
and every tile is covered one-fifth part on two sides by the su- 
perior row. 



1146. To improve Chimney Fire-places^ and increase the Ileat^ 
hy a proper attention to the Setting of Stoves^ Grates^ dx, — The 
best materials for setting stoves or grates are fire-stone and 
common bricks and mortar. Both materials are fortunately 
very cheap. When bricks are used, they should be covered 
with a thin coating of plaster, which, when it is dry, should bo 
white-washed. The fire-stone should likewise be white- washed 
wnen that is used; and every part of the fire-place, which is not 
exposed to being soiled and made black by the smoke, should 
be kept as white and clear as possible. As tvhite reficcts more 
heat, as well as more light, than any other color, it ought 
always to be preferred for the inside of a chiuiuey fire-place; 



314 MRS. HALK'S RECEIPTS FOR THB MILLION. 

and blacky which reflects neither light nor heat, should be more 
avoided. 



1147. To cure Smoky Chimneys. — Put on the top of the 
chimney a box, in each of whose sides is a door hanging on 
hinges, and kept open by a thin iron rod running from one to 
the other, and fastened by a ring in each end to a staple. When 
there is no wind, these doors are at rest, and each forms an 
angle of 45 degrees, which is decreased on the windward side 
in proportion to the force of the wind, and increased in the 
same ratio on the leeward side. If the wind be very strong, 
the door opposed to the wind becomes close, while the opposite 
one is opened as wide as it can be. If the wind strikes the 
corner of the box, it shuts two doors and opens their opposites. 
This scheme has been tried with success in a chimney which 
always filled the room with smoke, but which, since adopted, 
has never smoked the room at all. The expense is trifling, and 
the apparatus simple. 

1148. A Preparation to preserve Wood from catching Fire^ 
and to preserve it from Decay, — A member of the Royal Acad- 
emy at Stockholm says, in the memoirs of that academy, 
'' Having been within these few years to visit the alum mines 
of Loswers, in the province of Calmar, I took notice of some 
attempts made to burn the old staves of tubs and pails that 
had been used for the alum works. For this purpose they were 
thrown into the furnace, but those pieces of wood which had 
been penetrated by the alum did not burn, though they re- 
mained for a long time in the fire, where they only became red ; 
however, at last they were consumed by the intenseness of the 
heat, but they emitted no flame." 

He concludes, from this experiment, that wood, or timber, 
for the purpose of building, may be secured against the action 
of fire, by letting it remain for some time in water, wherein 
vitriol, alum, or any other salt has been dissolved, which con- 
tains no inflammable parts. 

To this experiment it may be added^ that wood, which has 
been impregnated with water, wherein vitriol has been dis- 
solved, is very fit for resisting putrefaction, especially if after- 
wards it is brushed over with tar, or some kind of paint ; in 
order to this, the wood must be rubbed with very warm vitriol 
water, and afterwards left to dry, before it is painted or tarred. 



BUILDING, ETC. 315 

Wood prepared in this manner will for a long time resist the 
injuries of the air, and be preserved in cellars and other low 
moist places. It is to be observed, that if a solution of vit- 
riol is poured on such parts of timber where a sort of champig- 
nons are formed by moisture, and rubbed off, none will ever 
grow there again. 

By boiling, for some hours, the spokes of wheels in vitriol 
w^ater, they are not subject to rottenness in the parts where 
they enter the stocks. After boiling them in this manner, they 
are dried as perfectly as possible, and then, in the accustomed 
way, painted with oil color. 

1149. Cheap and excellent Composition for preserving Weather 
Boaiding^ Paling^ and all other Works liable to be injured by the 

Weather, — Well burnt lime will soon become slaked by expo- 
sure in the open air, or even if confined in a situation not re- 
markably dry, so as to crumble of itself into powder. This is 
called air-slaked lime, in contradistinction to that which is slaked 
in the usual way, by being mixed with water. For the purpose 
of making the present composition to preserve all sorts of wood- 
work exposed to the vicissitudes of the weather, take three 
parts of this air-slaked lime, two of wood-ashes, and one of fine 
sand ; pass them through a fine sieve, and add as much linseed- 
oil to the composition as will bring it to a proper consistence 
for working with a painter's brush. As particular care must 
be taken to mix it perfectly, it should be ground on a stone 
slab with a proper muller, in the same manner as painters 
grind their white-lead, &;c. ; but where these conveniences are 
not at hand, the ingredients may be mixed in a large pan, and 
well beat up with a wooden spatula. Two coats of this compo- 
sition being necessary, the first may be rather thin ; but the 
second should be as thick as it can conveniently be worked. 
This most excellent composition for preserving wood, when ex- 
posed to the injuries of the weather, is highly preferable to the 
customary method of laying on tar and ochre. 

1150. To make durable Barn-Jloors, — A durable barn-floor 
may be made of well-burnt polished brick on edge, placed in 
the herring-bone form, on a pavement of stone three inches and 
a half in thickness ; or oaken plank two inches and a half in 
thickness ; or even of well-tempered indurated loam, of a pro- 
per substance, not less than eight inches, and laid upon dry 



816 MRS, bale's receipts for tue million. 

materials or bottom. Any of them will make a durable barn- 
floor, provided it is kept free from wet, wagon-wheels, and 
horses' feet. The best threshing-floor for small farms of 150 
acres is made of sound plank. In large farms (say 300 acres 
and upwards) the threshing machine should supersede the flail. 

1151. The Virtues of Poplar Wood for the Flooring of Grana- 
ries. — The Lombard poplar is recommended as a timber adapted 
for flooring granaries, which is said to prevent the destruction 
of corn by weevils and insects. Poplar wood will not easily 
take fire. 



1152. Improved Ventilators for Rooms, — Different methods 
are adopted for ventilating, or changing the air of rooms. — 
Thus: 

Mr. Tid admitted fresh air into a room by taking out the 
middle upper sash pane of glass, and fixing in its place a frame 
box, with a round hole in its middle, about six or seven inches 
diameter, in which hole is fixed, behind each other, a set of 
sails, of very thin, broad copper plates, which spread over and 
cover the circular hole, so as to make the air, which enters tho 
room, and turning round these sails, to spread round in thin 
sheets sideway, and so not to incommode persons by blowing 
directly upon them, as it would do if it were not hindered by 
the sails. This well-known contrivance has generally been em- 
ployed in public buildings, but is very disagreeable in good 
rooms ; instead, of it, therefore, the late Mr. Whitehurst sub- 
stituted another, which was, to open a small square or rectan- 
gular hole, in the party wall of the room, in the upper part, 
near the ceiling, at a corner or part distant from the fire ; be- 
fore it he placed a thin piece of metal, or pasteboard, &;c., 
attached to the wall in its lower part, just before the hole, but 
declining from it upwards, so as to give the air that enters by 
the hole a direction upwards against the ceiling, along which it 
sweeps, and disperses itself through the room, without blowing 
in a current against any person. This method is very useful to 
cure smoky chimneys, by thus admitting, conveniently, fresh 
air. A picture, placed before the hole, prevents the sight of it 
from disfiguring the room. 

1153. Approved Method of removing Bees. — Set the hive 
where there is only a glimmering light; turn it up; the c^ueen 



BEES, BIRDS, ETC 31 Y 

first makes her appearance ; once in possession of her, you are 
master of all the rest; put her into an empty hive, whither she 
will be followed by the other bees. 

1154. Useful Method of preserving ^^^5.— Instead of destroy- 
ing whole swarms in their hives, to get the honey when the 
hives are full, they clear them out into a fresh hive, while they 
take the combs out of the old one ; and they prevent their per- 
ishing in winter by putting a great quantity of honey into a 
very wide earthen vessel, covering its surface with paper, exactly 
fitted on, and pricked full of holes with a large pin ; this being 
pressed by the weight of the bees, keeps a fresh supply continu- 
ally arising. Their most fatal destruction by severe cold they 
prevent, by taking as many large tubs as they have hives, and 
knocking out the heads, they set the other end in the ground, 
laying a bed of dry earth or chopped hay in it, of six inches 
deep ; over this they place the head knocked out, and then 
make a small wooden trough for the passage of the bees ; this 
is transfixed through a hole cut through each side of the tub, at 
such a height as to lay on the false bottom, on which is placed 
the covered dish of honey for the food of the bees, leaving a 
proper space over this, covered with strong matting ; they then 
fill up the tub with more dry earth, or chopped hay, heaping it 
up in the form of a cone, to keep out the rain, and wreathing it 
over with straw on account of the w^armth. 



1155. Sir Ashton Lever'' s method of preserving Birds, Beasts^ 
Fishes^ dc, — Beasts. Large beasts should be carefully skinned, 
with the horns, skull, jaws, tail, and feet, left entire ; the skins 
may then either be put into a vessel of spirit, or else rubbed 
well in the inside with the mixture of salt, alum, and pepper, 
hereafter mentioned, and hung to dry. Small beasts may be 
put into a cask of rum, or any other spirit. 

Birds. Large birds may be treated as large beasts, but must 
not be put in spirits. Small birds may be preserved in the fol- 
lowing manner : — Take out the entrails, open a passage to the 
brain, which should be scooped out through the mouth; intro- 
duce into the cavities of the skull, and the whole body, some 
of the mixture of salt, alum, and pepper, putting some through 
the gullet and whole length of the neck ; then hang the bird in 
a cool, airy place — first by the feet, that the body may be im* 
pregnated by the salts, and afterwards by a thread through the 



318 MRS. halb's receipts for the million. 

under mandible of the bill, till it appears to be sweet ; then 
hang it in the sun, or near a fire : after it is well dried, clean 
out what remains loose of the mixture, and fill the cavity of 
the body with wool, oakum, or any soft substance, and pack it 
smooth in paper. 

Fishes, &c. Large fishes should be opened in the belly, the 
entrails taken out, and the inside well rubbed with pepper, 
and stuffed with oakum. Small fishes put in spirit, as w^ell as 
reptiles and insects, except butterflies and moths ; and any in- 
sects of fine colors, should be pinned down in a box prepared 
for that purpose, with their wings expanded. 

1156. Birds that have been Shot, — When fresh-killed, observe 
to put tow into the mouth, and upon any wound they may 
have received, to prevent the feathers being soiled ; and then 
wrap it smooth, at full-length, in paper, and pack it close in a 
box. if it be sent from a great distance, the entrails should be 
extracted, and the cavity filled with tow dipped in rum or other 
spirit. The following mixture is proper for the preservation 
of animals : — One pound of salt, four ounces of alum, and two 
ounces of pepper, powdered together. 



1157. To preserve Game in Hot Weather. — Game or poultry 
may be preserved for a long time, by tying a string tight round 
the neck, so as to exclude the air, and by putting a piece of 
charcoal into the vent. 



1158. Jlussian method of preserving Fi^h, — When the Rus- 
sians desire to keep fish perfectly fresh, to be carried a long 
journey in a hot climate, they dip them into hot bees'-wax, 
which acts like an air-tight covering. In this way they are 
taken to Malta, even sweet in summer. 



PART VII. 

MANY THINGS. 

Choice and Cheap Cookery — JVew Receipts — Southern Dishes-^ 
Gumbo, (kc. — Home-made WineSy dc. — Dairy — Coloring — 
Di^t — Healthy dc, 

1159. To preserve Ginger, — Take green ginger, pare it with 
a sharp knife, and then throw it into cold water as pared, to 
keep it white ; then boil it till tender, in three waters, at each 
change putting the ginger into cold water. For seven pounds 
of ginger, clarify eight pounds of refined sugar ; when cold, 
drain the ginger, and put it into a pan, with enough of the syrup 
to cover it, and let it stand two days ; then pour the syrup to 
the remainder of the sugar, and boil it some time; when cold, 
pour it on the ginger again, and set it by for three days ; then 
boil the syrup again, and pour it hot over the ginger. Proceed 
thus till you find the ginger rich and tender, and the syrup is 
highly flavored. If you put the syrup on hot at first, or if too 
rich, the ginger will shrink, and not take the sugar. 

1160. Orange Syrup — Is so easily made, and can be used so 
constantly with advantage, that no housekeeper should be with- 
out it. Select ripe and thin-skinned fruit ; squeeze the juice 
through a sieve ; to every pint, add a pound a half of powdered 
sugar ; boil it slowly, and skim as long as any scum rises ; you 
may then take it off, let it grow cold, and bottle it off. Be 
sure to secure the corks well. Two table-spoonfuls of this syrup, 
mixed in melted butter, make an admirable sauce for a plum 
or butter-pudding ; and it imparts a fine flavor to custards. 

IIGI. Apple or Quince Jelly, — Pare, quarter, and core the 
npples ; put them in a sauce-pan, with enough water to cover 



320 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

them only ; let them boil five minutes ; put them in a bag, and 
let them drain until the next day. To one pint of juice, put 
one pound of sugar, and boil it from fifteen to twenty minutes. 
[^Cranberry Jelly may he made in the same way,'\ 

1162. Brandy Cherries, — Take the nicest carnation cher- 
ries, and trim them, leaving a short stem to keep in the juice ; 
wash and wipe them tenderly, and put them into wide-mouthed 
bottles. Make a good syrup, and, when it is nearly done, add 
a pint and a half of French brandy to one pint of syrup ; mix it 
thoroughly, and, when cold, pour it over the cherries. If care- 
fully sealed, the fruit will be good for years. 



1163. Brandy Peaches. — Drop the peaches in weak, boiling 
lye ; let them remain till the skin can be wiped off; make a 
thin syrup, and let it cover the fruit ; boil the fruit till they can 
be pierced with a straw ; take it out ; make a very rich syrup, 
and add, after it is taken from the fire, and while it is still hot, 
an equal quantity of brandy. Pour this, while it is still warm, 
over the peaches in the jar. They must be covered with it. 



1164. Brandied Peaches — an excellent way, — After having 
removed the skin in the usual manner, by using lye^ and throw- 
ing them in cold water, weigh the peaches, and put them in a 
stone jar — allowing room at the top for three-quarters of a 
pound of sugar for each pound of peaches; then pour over 
enough white brandy to cover the fruit. Set the jar in a pot of 
cold water, and let it remain over the fire till the brandy comes 
to a scald. When they are cold, they may either be put in 
glass jars, and tied down with bladder, or left in the same jar. 



1165. Tomato C7a<cAe*j9.— To one gallon of skinned tomatoes, 
add four table-spoonfuls of salt ; four table-spoonfuls of black 
pepper, ground fine ; half a table-spoonful of allspice, ground 
fine ; three table-spoonfuls of mustard ; eight pods of red pep- 
per. Simmer it slowly in sharp vinegar, in a pewter vessel, 
three or four hours ; then strain it through a wire-sieve, and 
bottle it up. When cold, seal up the corks, and it will last for 
years. 

1166. Green Tomato Pickle. — Cut in thin slices one peck of 
green tomatoes ; sprinkle them with salt, and let them stand a 



NEW EECEIPTS IN COOKERY. 321 

day or two. Slice ten or twelve small onions. Mix together 
one bottle or small tin box of nmstard ; half an ounce of mus- 
tard-seed ; one ounce of cloves ; one ounce of pimento ; two 
ounces of turmeric. Put in the kettle a layer of tomatoes, then 
one of onions and spice, till all are in. Cover it with good 
vinegar, and let it simmer till .the tomatoes are quite clear. 

1167. French Mustard, — Put on a plate, one ounce of the 
best powdered mustard ; a salt-spoonful of salt ; a few leaves 
of tarragon ; and a clove of garlic, minced fine. Pour on it, by 
degrees, sufficient vinegar to dilute it to the proper consistency ; 
about a wine-glassful ; mix it with a wooden spoon. Do not 
use it in less than twenty-four hours, 

1168. India Pickle, {K B,) — Put two hundred gherkins, 
three pints of small onions, one quart of nasturtiums, one quart 
of radish-pods, 1 quartern of string-beans, six cauliflowers, and 
two hard, white cabbages, sliced, into a pan, and sprinkle them 
with salt — the onions having been previously peeled, and laid 
in salt and water for a week, to take off their strength. Then, 
after a day or two, take them out of the pan, and dry them 
thoroughly in a warm place, in the shade : they must be spread 
out separately. To two gallons of vinegar, put one ounce and 
a half of allspice, the same of long pepper and of white, and 
two ounces of ginger, tied up in muslin bags. When cold, mix 
with the vinegar one pound and a half of flour of mustard, and 
two table-spoonfuls of Cayenne pepper. Boil it well together, 
and pour it on the pickle. The vegetables mentioned, not be- 
ing all procurable at the same time, may be added separately, 
at different periods, but they must all undergo the salting and 
drying process. 

In choosing those vegetables, some discrimination may also 
be used. When in season, few things add a higher flavor to 
the pickle than the buds and flowers of the elder. 



1169. Horse-radish. — Let the horse-radish lie one or two 
hours in cold water ; then scrape off the skin, grate it, and 
moisten it with vinegar. Serve it with roast meat. 

1170. Oyster Gumho. — Mix well one table-spooriful of flour 
and one of lard, and browi the mixture ill a frying-pan ; take 
the liquor of two quarts of oysters, set it on the fire, and when 

21 



822 MRS. bale's receipts for the millioj^ 

it boils, add the browned flour with some chopped leeks and pars- 
ley ; then put in the oysters, and let the whole simmer for fifteen 
minutes ; next sift into it a table-spoonful and a half of powdered 
sassafras, to give it the fillet ; leave it two or three minutes longer 
on the fire, and serve it very hot. No spices, but black pep- 
per. This dish will require more or less time to prepare, ac- 
cording to the ingredients of which it is to be composed. Por 
chicken or turkey gumbo, the fowl must first be fricasseed. 
Any good cook will understand how to make a piquante and pal- 
atable stock, of whatever she may select for her gumbo. 



1171. Mayonnaise. — Roast a pair of chickens or a turkey, in 
the morning, and put them away to settle the juices. Imme- 
diately before serving the dish, carve the fowls, and put them 
compactly into a dish; take the yolks of six eggs, and pour, in 
a very fine and continued stream upon them, half a bottle of 
Olive oil, and stir the eggs one way, till they are creamed ; then 
put half a tea-spoonful of vinegar into this dressing, and having 
put pepper, salt, and a little vinegar on the fowl, pour the 
dressing over it, and arrange all over it bunches of cool, fresh 
lettuce. Garnish with hard eggs. 



1172. Jamhalaya — Cut up, and stew till half done, a fowl, 
brown or white ; then add rice, and a piece of ham well minced ; 
this must be left on the fi-re till the rice has taken up the liquid ; 
the roundness of the grain must" be preserved, yet the dish must 
not be hard and dry. It is served in a heap, on a flat dish. 
Pepper and salt the only seasoning. 

Southern children are very fond of this essentially home-dish. 
It is said to be of Indian origin. V/holesome as it is palatable, 
it makes part of almost every Creole dinner. 



1173. Imitation of Mock Turtle, — Put into a pan a knuckle 
of veal, two fine cow-heels or two calf's feet, two onions, a few 
cloves, peppers, berries of allspice, mace, and sweet herbs ; cover 
them with water, then tie a thick paper over the pan, and set 
it in an oven for three hours. V/hen cold, take off the fat very 
nicely ; cut the meat and feet into bits an inch and a half 
square ; remove the bones and coarse parts, and then put the rest 
on to warm, with a large spoonful of walnut and one of mush- 
room catchup, half a pint of sherry 4' Madeira wine, a little 
mushroom-powder, and the jelly of the meat. When hot, if it 



NEW RECEIPTS IN COOKERY. ' 323 

wants any more seasoning, add some; and serve with hard 
eggs, forcemeat balls, a squeeze of lemon, and a spoonful of 
soy. This is a verjr easy way, and the dish is excellent. 



1174. Oyster Sausages. — Beard, ringe well in their strained 
liquor, and mince, but not -finely, three dozen and a half of 
plump oysters, and mix them with ten ounces of fine bread- 
crumbs, and ten of beef-suet chopped extremely small ; add a 
salt-spoonful of salt, and one of pepper, or less than half the 
quantity of cayenne, twice as much pounded mace, and the third 
of a small nutmeg grated; moisten the whole with two unbeaten 
eggs, or with the yolks only of three, and a dessert-spoonful of 
the whites. When these ingredients have been well worked to- 
gether, and are perfectly blended, set the mixture in a cool place 
for two or three hours before it is used ; make it into the form 
of sn:»all sausages or sausage-cakes, flour and fry them in butter, 
of a fine light brown ; or throw them into boiling water for 
three minutes, drain, and let them become cold ; dip them into 
egg and bread-crumbs, and broil them gently until they are 
lightly colored. A small bit should be cooked and tasted be- 
fore the whole is put aside, that the seasoning may be height- 
ened if required. The sausages thus made are very good. 

Small plump oysters, three dozen and a half; bread-crumbs, 
ten ounces; beef suet, ten ounces; seasoning of salt, cayenne, 
pounded mace, and nutmeg ; unbeaten eggs, two, or yolks of 
three. 

Obs, — The fingers should be well floured for making up these 
sausa<]res. 



1175. ]Vew England Chowder, — Have a good haddock, cod, 
or any other solid fish, cut it in pieces three inches square, put 
a pound of fat salt pork in strips into the pot, set it on hot 
coals, and fry out the oil. Take out the pork, and put in a 
layer of fish, over that a layer of onions in slices, then a layer 
offish with slips of fat salt pork, then another layer of onions, 
and so on alternately, until your fish is consumed. Mix some 
flour with as much water as will fill the pot ; season with black 
pepper and salt to your taste, and boil it for half an hour. 
Have ready some crackers soaked in water till they are a little 
softened ; throw them into your chowder five minutes before 
you take it up. Servo in a tureen. 



324 MRS. HALE's Bt:CEIPTS t'OR THE MILLION. 

1176. Curing Hams — the Neivhold Receipt, — Take seven 
pounds coarse salt, five pounds brown sugar, two ounces pearl 
ash, 4 gallons of water. Boil all together, and scum the pickle 
well when cold. Put it on the meat. Hams remain in it eight 
weeks — beef three weeks. The above is for one hundred and 
ninety pounds weight. 



1177. A Pickle that will keep for years ^ for hams^ tongues^ or 
heef if boiled and skimmed between each parcel of them, — To two 
gallons of spring water put two pounds of coarse sugar, two 
pounds of bay and two and a half pounds of common salt, and 
half a pound of saltpetre, in a deep earthen glazed pan that will 
hold four gallons, and with a cover that will fit close. Keep 
the beef or hams as long as they will bear before you put them 
into the pickle ; and sprinkle them with coarse sugar in a pan, 
from which they must drain. Rub the hams, &c., well with 
the pickle, and pack them in close, putting as much as the pan 
will hold, so that the pickle may cover them. The pickle is 
not to be boiled at first. A small ham may lie fourteen days, a 
large one three weeks ; a tongue twelve days, and beef in pro- 
portion to its size. They will eat well out of the pickle with- 
out drying. V/hen they are to be dried, let each piece be 
drained over the pan ; and when it will drop no longer, take a 
clean sponge and dry it thoroughly. Six or eight hours will 
smoke them, and there should be only a little sawdust and wet 
straw burnt to do this; but if put into a baker's chimney, sew 
them in a coarse cloth, and hang them a week. Add two pounds 
of common salt and two pints of water every time you boil the 
liquor, 

1 178. To smoke Hams and Fish on a small scale, — Drive the 
ends out of an old hogshead or barrel ; place this over a heap 
of sawdust of green hard wood, in which a bar of red-hot iron 
is buried ; or take corn-cobs, • which make the best smoke ; 
place them in a clean iron kettle, the bottom, of which is cov- 
ered with burning coals; hang the hams, tongues, fish, dsc, on 
sticks across the cask, and cover it, but not closely, that the 
cobs or sawdust may smoulder slowly, but not burn. 

1179. Onion Sauce. — Peel the onions, and boil them tender; 
squeeze the water from them ; chop them ; and pour on them 
butter that has been carefully melted, together with a little 



NEW RECEIPTS — SAUCES. 325 

good milk, instead of water. Boil it up once. A turnip boiled 
with the onions, makes them milder. 



1180. Sauce Robert — Cut into small dice, four or five large 
onions, and brown them in a stew-pan, with three ounces of 
butter, and a dessert-spoonful of flour. When of a deep yel* 
low-brown, pour to them half a pint of beef or of veal-gravy, 
and let them simmer for fifteen minutes; skim the sauce; add 
a seasoning of salt and pepper, and, at the moment of serving, 
mix in a dessert-spoonful of made-mustard. 

Large onions, four or five ; butter, three ounces ; flour, a des- 
sert-spoonful ; ten to fifteen minutes. Gravy, half a pint: fif- 
teen minutes. Mustard, a dessert-spoonful. 



1181. Tomato Sauce. — Crush half a dozen, more or less, of 
Very ripe, red tomatoes ; pick out the seeds, and squeeze the 
water from them ; put them into a stew-pan, with two or three 
finely-sliced shalots, and a little gravy : simmer till nearly 
dry; when add half a pint of brown sauce, and simmer twenty- 
minutes longer ; then rub it through a tammy into a clean 
stew-pan ; season with Cayenne pepper and salt, a little glaze, 
and lemon-juice; simmer a few minutes, and serve. Tarragon 
or Chili vinegar are sometimes added ; and sliced onions may 
be substituted for the shalots. 



1182. Brown Caper Sauce. — Thicken half a pint of good veal 
or beef-gravy, as directed for Sauce-Tournee ; and add to it 
two table-spoonfuls of capers, and a dessert-spoonful of the 
pickle-liquor, or of Chili vinegar, with some Cayenne, if the 
former be used, and a proper seasoning of salt. 

Thickened veal, or beef gravy, half a pint; capers, twf 
table-spoonfuls ; caper liquor, or Chili vinegar, one dessert 
spoonful. 

— ' — 'jdr 

1183. Horse-radish Sauce. — Scrape, finely, a stick of horse, 
radish into about half a pint of brown sauce and a gravy-spook 
ful of vinegar ; simmer, and season with salt and sugar. Thi« 
sauce is eaten with hot roast beef 



1184. Sauce for cold Roast Beef. — Mix scraped horse-radish| 
made-mustard, and vinegar, and sweeten with white sugar. 



826 J^ES. hale's receipts for the million. 

1185. Mint Sauce. — Mix vinegar and brown sugar, and le* 
it stand at least an hour ; then add chopped mint, and stir to 
gether. It should be very sweet. 

1186. Mild Mustard, — Mustard, for instant use, should be 
mixed with milk, to which a spoonful or two of verj thin cream 
may be added. 



1187. Mustard, the common way, — The great art of mixing 
mustard, is to have it perfectly smooth, and of a proper con- 
sistency. The liquid with which it is moistened, should be 
added to it in small quantities, and the mustard should be well 
rubbed, and beaten with a spoon. Mix half a tea-spoonful of 
Bait with two ounces of the flour of mustard, and stir to them, 
by degrees, sufficient boiling water to reduce it to the appear- 
ance of a thick batter. Do not put it into the mustard-glass 
until cold. Some persons like half a tea-spoonful of sugar, in 
the finest powder, mixed with it. It ought to be sufficiently- 
diluted always to drop easily from the spoon. 



1188. Parsley and Butter. — Scald a large handful of parsley 
in boiling water that has some salt in it ; when tender, chop it 
fine, and stir it into some rather thick melted butter. There 
should be sufficient parsley to make the sauce green ; and the 
parsley should not be put to the melted butter until about to 
be served, otherwise it will turn brown. 



1189. To make Sage and Onion Stuffing, for Roast PorJc^ 
Geese, Ducks^ dtc, — To make this stuffing, take two middling- 
sized onions, peel them, and boil them for about ten minutes 
in plenty of water ; next take as much dry sage-leaves, as, when 
rubbed into powder and sifted through the top of your flour- 
dredger, will fill a table-spoon. When the onion has boiled 
about ten n^yites, squeeze it dry, chop it fine, and mix it with 
the crumblea sage ; then add to them a tea-cupful of stale, 
white bread-crumbs, with a tea-spoonful of black pepper, a very 
little pinch of Cayenne, and a salt-spoonful of salt. Mix all 
well together, and it is ready. 

— ^--^— » 

1190. Sippets of Bread, for Garnishing. — Cut the crumb of 
A stale loaf in slices a quarter of an inch thick : form them into 
diamonds or half-diamonds, or in any other way : fry them in 



CAKES, BREAD, ETC. 827 

fresh butter. Dry them well, and place them around the dish 
to be garnished. 

1191. Seasoning for Stuffing. — One pound of salt, dried and 
sifted ; half an ounce of ground white pepper ; two ounces of 
dried thyme ; one ounce of dried marjoram ; and one ounce of 
nutmeg. When this seasoning is used, parsley only is required 
to be chopped in sufficient quantity to make the stuffing green. 
The proportions are — half a pound of bread-crumbs; three 
eggs ; a quarter of a pound of suet ; half an ounce of seasoning ; 
and the peel of half a lemon, grated. 



1192. White Bread- Crumbs. — Put the crum.b of very white 
bread into a slow oven or screen, and let it dry without color ; 
beat and sift it; keep it in a close-covered pan in a dry, warm 
place : everything looks well, done with it. The crust may be 
dried, beaten, and sifted, for frying and garnishing. 

When crumbs are not prepared till wanted, the bread is 
never in a proper condition ; so that the crumbs are not only 
coarse and vulgar, but a sponge for fat, which shows bad taste, 
as well as being wasteful. 



1193, Panada — Is indispensable in making good farce of any- 
kind ; it is even better for it than Naples' biscuit, and is made 
as follows : — Steep a sufficient quantity of good stale bread- 
crumb in cream or stock ; set it over the fire in a sauce-pan, 
and work it with a wooden spoon till it is as smooth and dry- 
as a stiff paste: let it cool, and beat it with a yolk or two, 
according to the quantity, in a mortar : it is then ready to be 
put into all kinds of farces. 



CAKES, BREAD, PIES, AND PUDDINGS. 

1194. Wine Crust for Calces or Pastry — a foreign Receijot.^ 
Pour gradually to the well-beaten yolks of three fresh eggs, 
cleared from the specks, a quarter of a pint of light white wine 
(Marsala will serve for the purpose well enough), stirring them 
briskly as it is added ; throw in half a salt-spoonful of salt, and 
an ounce and a half of pounded sugar; and when this last is 
dissolved, or nearly so, add the mixture to as much flour aa 
will be required to form a smooth, firm paste : about three- 



82 S iCLs. Sals' 5 ezcsfs^ fc«3 ths yn ir c-y. 

quarter? of a poiinJ ^iil re siinicici::. uDie-ss the eggs should 
b-e of ar? uiusuil <:2e. S:ll :: : ::. o :: it asunder, aud spread 
ere L:ilf v.:::i cic::: - '- : ■' -'.z smaii ; lay the ^.^tiier 

h&lfcf :be raste . togeiiier as iightlj as 

pos&i: — * : foid ihe two ends 

over c :' equal thiokness ; 

loUit^i;^;: or tJir ice. touching 

the {Mtste ^ ^ .lid rolling it v€ry 

lightly. Ii may oe used lar anj ^ - veet pastry ; or it 

may be served in the form of cakes, c .-. . eed or plain ; these 
again may be adapled to the second course, by spreading the 
imder-sides of one half with ridi preserve, and pressing the oth- 
«B5 CHI dbeiiu 



1195. PiC'Mte Biscmiis. — ^Work, very small, two ounces of 
fresk butter into a pound of flour ; reduce to the ^est powder, 
and mix, intimately, half a salt-spoonful of very pure carbonate 
of soda (Howard's is the best), with two ounces of sugar ; min- 
gie these thorougUj with the flour, and make up the paste with 
a lew spoonluls of milk ; it will require scarcely a quarter of a 
pint. Knead it very smooth, roll it a quarter of an inch thick, 
cat it in rounds ab<mt the size of the top of a small wine-glass ; 
i6ik these^out thin, prick them well, lay them on lightly-floured 
^ns^ and bake them in a gentle oven until they are crisp quite 
through. As soon as they are cold put them into dry canis- 
teiSL The sugar can be omitted at pleasure. If thin cream 
be vsed instead oi milk, iu making the paste, it will much 
enridi the biscuits ; but this would often not be &:*Dsidered an 
improvement, as plain simple biscuits are generally most la 
fiivor. 

Carraway seeds or ginger can be added, to vary these at 
j^fiisore. The proportion of soda used should be too small to 
be percq>lible, even to the taste : it will be no disadvantage to 
use milk with it which is slightly acid. 

1196. A ffood Soda Cuke. — Eub half a pound of good butter 
into a pound of fine dry flour, and work it very small ; mix 
w^l wfth these half a pound of sifted sugar, and p^our to them 
first a quarter of a pint of boiling milk, and next three well- 
whisked eggs; add some grated nutmeg, or fresh lemor- 1 
and e^^ onnees of currants; beat the whole well and li. 
together, and the instant before the cake is moulded and sei 



CAXE&f rtmnsG^ etc 329 

into the oven, stir to it a tearspoonfiil ci carbooate ot ao^ in 
the finest- powder. Bake it from an boor to an hoor and a 
qearter, or divide it in two, and allow from half to three-qnar- 
ters of an hoor ^jt eadk eake. 

Floor, one poond ; hotter, three ounces ; sogar, eight oonees, 
milk, foil qoarter-pint ; e^s, three; eorrants, half a poond; 
carbonate of soda, me tearspocsifiil ; one hoor to one and a 
half. Or, divided, a half to tfaree-qoarters of an hoor — ^mode- 
rate oven. 

Obs, — ^Tfais, if wdl made, resemUes a poond-cake, \mk is 
moch more wholesome. It is verj good with two oonees leas 
of batter, and with carawaj-seeds or candied orange or citron 
substitoted for the eorrants. 



1197. To make Fme Pancaixi, Fried miJumt Buti^ or Lard. 
— ^Take a {^t of cream and six new-laid e^s ; beat them w^ 
t<^ether ; pot in a qoarter <^ a poond of sugar and one notmeg 
or a little beaten mace — ^which joa please, and so mnch as 
will thick^i — ^almost as nmeh as ordinaiy paiieaike floor battn*; 
yoor pan most he heated reascAablj hot, and wiped with a 
clean doth ; this done, ^^ead yoor battel' thin over it^ and fiy. 

1193. To maJce Loatfts cf Ckeete-aarL — Take a ponii^er fbU 
of cords, and four eggs, whites and jolks, and as much floor as 
will make it stifif; then take a little gii^er, notmeg, and some 
salt ; make them into loaves, and s^ them into an oven with a 
qoick heat ; when the j begin to change cc^r, take them oot^ 
and pot melted batter to them, and some sack, and good store 
of sogar ; and so serve, 

1199. C%aip Giager BiscviU, — Work into quite small 
crombs three oonees of good batter, with two poonds of floor ; 
then add three oonees of poonded sogar and two of ginger, in 
nne powder, and knead them into a ^ff paste, with new milk. 
Boll it thin, cot oot the "biscoits with a cotter, and bake them 
in a slow oven ontil thej are msp qoite thioi^^ hot ke^ 
them of a pale color. A coople of f^^ are sometinies mixed 
with the milk for them, but are no material improvoBoeiit ; an 
additional ounce of sugar may be used when a sweeter hiscoit 
is liked. To make good ginger ool^t, increase ihe boUer to six 
ounces, and the sugar to eight, for e^ch poond of floor, and wei 
the in^^i^its into a paste with €ggs^ a little lemon-grate will 
give it an agreeable flavor. 



330 MR3. HALE'S receipts rOR THE MILLION. 

Biscuits — flour, two pounds: butter, three ounces ; pounded 
sugar, three ounces ; ginger, two ounces. 

Cakes — flour, one pound ; butter, six ounces ; sugar, eight 
ounces ; ginger, one o :!nce ; three to four eggs ; rind of half a 
lemon. 



1200. Ginger Snaps, — Beat together half a pound of butter, 
and half a pound of sugar ; mix with them half a pint of mo- 
lasses, half a tea-cupful of ginger, and one pound and a half of 
flour. 



1201. Gingerbread, — Mix together three and a half pounds 
of flour ; three-quarters of a pound of butter ; one pound of 
sugar ; one pint of molasses ; a quarter of a pound of ginger, 
and some ground orange-peel. 

1202. Raspberry Cakes, — Take any quantity of fruit you 
please, weigh and boil it, and when mashed, and the liquor is 
washed, add as much sugar as was equal in weight to the raw 
fruit. Mix it very well off the fire till the whole is dissolved, 
then lay it on plates, and dry it in the sun. When the top 
part dries, cut it ofl* into small cakes, and turn them on a fresh 
plate. When dry, put the whole in boxes, with .layers of 
paper. 

1203. Rock Cakes, — Mix together one pound of flour; half 
a pound of sugar ; half a pound of butter ; half a pound of 
currants or cherries, and four eggs, leaving out the whites of 
two ; a little wine and candied lemon-peel are a great improve- 
ment. 



1204. Cup Cakes, —Wix together five cups of flour; three 
cups of sugar ; one cup of butter ; one cup of milk ; three eggs, 
well beaten ; one wine-glass of wine ; one of brandy, and a little 
cinnamon. 



1205. Jumbles, — Take one pound of loaf-sugar, pounded fine; 
one pound and a quarter of flour; three-quarters of a pound of 
butter; four eggs, beaten light, and a little rose-water and 
spice ; mix them well, and roll them in sugar. 



/CAKES, FRITTERS, ETC. 331 

1206. Sponge Cake. — Take the weight of the eggs in sugar ; 
half their weight in flour, well sifted ; to twelve eggs, add the 
grated rind of three lemons, and the juice of two. Beat the 
eggs carefully, white and yolks separately, before they are 
used. Stir the materials thoroughly together, and bake in a 
quick oven. 



1207. Apple Fritters. — Pare and core some fine large pip- 
pins, and cut them into round slices. Soak them in wine, sugar, 
and nutmeg, for two or three hours. Make a batter of four 
eggs ; a table-spoonful of rose-water ; a table-spoonful of wine ; 
a table-spoonful of milk; thicken with enough flour, stirred in 
by degrees, to make a batter ; mix it two or three hours before 
it is wanted, that it may be light. Heat some butter in a fry- 
ing pan ; dip each slice of apple separately in the batter, and 
fry them brown ; sift pounded sugar, and grate nutmeg over 
them. 



1208. A Charlotte Rus'se, — It is very difficult to prepare this 
delicate dish, and we advise all inexperienced house-keepers 
not to undertake it without the superintendence of a professed 
cook. 

Extract the flavor from a vanilla-bean, by boiling it in half 
a pint of milk. The milk must then be strained; and, when 
cold, mix with it a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar. Beat the 
yolks of four eggs very light, and stir them into the mixture. 
Heat it over the fire for five minutes, until it becomes a cus- 
tard, but take great care that it does not boil. Boil an ounce 
of isinglass with a pint of water. The isinglass must be tho- 
roughly dissolved before it is fit foi* use, and one-half of the 
water boiled away. The custard being cold, drain the isinglass 
into it, and stir them hard together. Leave them to cool, 
while you prepare the rest of the mixture. Whip a quart of 
cream to a froth, (the cream should be rich,) and mix it with 
Ihe custard ; in whipping the cream, great care should be taken 
to make it quite light ; the safest way is, to remove the froth 
as fast as it gathers, with a strainer, until the whole is whipped. 

Take two round slices of almond sponge-cake ; glaze them 
with the beaten white of Q^g mixed with sugar. Lay one on 
the bottom of a circular mould, and reserve the other for the 
top. 

Cut some more sponge-cake into long pieces; glaze them 



833 MRS. bale's eeceipts for the million. 

carefully with the egg, and line the sides of the mould with 
them. Each piece should lap a little over the other, or the 
form will ijot be perfect. The custard will by this time be just 
beginning to congeal; pour it gently into the mould, and cover 
the top with the piece of cake which has already been prepared. 
The cake around the sides must be trimmed evenly, so that 
the upper piece wdll fit without leaving any vacancies. 

Pound some ice, and throw it iiito a tub, covering it well 
with coarse salt. The mould should then be set into the midst 
of this ice, and must remain there an hour. Prepare an icing 
with powdered sugar and the beaten white of egg, flavoring it 
with lemon-juice, or essence of lemon, orange, or rose-water, 
according to the taste. The Charlotte Russe is then turned out 
upon a handsome dish, and iced over. It should be moved 
about as little as possible ; and, to ensure success in preparing 
it, the utmost care must be taken to follow the above direc- 
tions. 

At large parties, a Charlotte Eusse is as indispensable on the 
supper-table as ice-cream. 

1209. Batter Pudding. — Take six ounces of fine flour, a little 
salt, and three eggs ; beat it up well with a little milk, added 
by degrees till the batter is quite smooth : make it the thick- 
ness of cream : put it into a buttered pie-dish, and bake three- 
quarters of an hour ; or, in a buttered and floured basin, tied 
over tight with a cloth : boil one hour and a half or two hours. 

Any kind of ripe fruit that you like may be added to the 
batter — only you must make the batter a little stiffer. Blue- 
berries, or finely-chopped apple, are most usually liked. 



1210. French Batter, {for frying Vegetables, and for Apple^ 
Peachy or Orange Fritters), — Cut two ounces of good butter 
into small bits ; pour on it less than a quarter of a pint of boil- 
ing water; and, when it is dissolved, add three-quarters of a 
pint of cold water, so that the whole shall not be quite milk- 
warm : mix it then by degrees, and very smoothly, with twelve 
ounces of fine, dry flour, and a small pinch of salt, if the batter 
be for fruit-fritters, but with more, if for meat or vegetables. 
Just before it is used, stir into it the whites of two eggs beaten 
to a solid froth ; but, previously to this, add a little water, 
should it appear too thick, as some flour requires more liquid 
than others, to bring it to a proper consistency. 



t^UDDlNGS, JELLIES, ETC. 333 

Butter, two ounces ; water, from three-quarters to nearly a 
pint; little salt; flour, three-quarters of a pound; whites of 
two eggs, beaten to snow. • 

1211. Terrines of Rice, sweet and savory, — Wash four ounces 
of Carolina rice in several waters, and leave it to soak for ten 
minutes; then put it into a common Nottingham jar, with a 
cover, and in shape, larger, considerably, in the middle than at 
the top — as those of narrower form and proportion ably greater 
height will not answer so well. This jar may contain one quart 
or two, as the stove-oven in which it is to be placed, may per- 
mit. The smaller size has, on compulsion, been used for the 
present and following receipts — the iron-plate in the centre of 
the only oven which the writer had at command, preventing 
a larger one from standing in it. Pour on the rice an exact pint 
of new milk; add two ounces of pounded sugar, the slightest 
pinch of salt, and any flavor which may be liked. Stir the 
whole well for a minute or two; put on the cover of the jar; 
make a bit of paste with flour and water, sufficient to form a 
wide, thick band ; moisten the side which is laid on the jar, 
and bind the edges of the cover and the jar together securely 
with it; tie brown paper over, and set it into the coolest part 
of the oven of the kitchen-range. Bake the rice gently for two 
hours and a quarter at the least, and turn the jar half-round 
once or twice while it is in the oven. Stir it lightly up, heap it 
on a hot dish, and send it to table. A compote of fresh fruit 
is an admirable accompaniment to it. 

1212. Nutmeg Pudding. — Pound, fine, two large or three 
small nutmegs ; melt three pounds of butter, and stir into it 
half a pound of loaf-sugar, a little wine, the yolks of ^yq eggs, 
well beaten, and the nutmegs. Bake on a pufT-paste. 



1213. Wine Jelly, — Soak four ounces of gelatine in one quart 
of cold water, for half an hour. In the meantime, mix with 
two quarts of cold water, six table-spoonfuls of brandy ; one 
pint of white-wine ; six lemons, cut up with the peel on ; the 
whites and shells of six eggs, the whites slightly beaten, the 
shells crushed ; three pounds of white sugar : then mix the 
gelatine with the other ingredients, and put them over the fire. 
Let it boil, without stirring, for twenty minutes. Strain it 
through a flannel-bag, without squeezing. Wet the mould in 



334; MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

cold water. Pour the jelly in, and leave it in a cool place foi 
three hours. 



1214. Economics. — It is often a matter of great convenience 
as well as of economy, to give a new and presentable form to 
the remains of dishes which have already appeared at table: 
the follow^ing hints may, therefore, be not unacceptable to some 
of our readers. 

No. 1. — Calf's-feet jelly and good blanc-mange are excelleni 
when just melted and mixed together, w-hether in equal or un- 
equal proportions. They should be heated only sufficient to 
liquify them, or the acid of the jelly might curdle the blanc- 
mange. Pour this last, when melted, into a deep earthen bowl, 
and add the jelly to it in small portions, w^hisking them briskly 
together as it is thrown in. A small quantity of prepared 
cochineal — which may be procured from a chemist's — will serve 
to improve or to vary the color, when required. Many kinds 
of creams and custards also may be blended advantageously 
with the blanc-mange, after a little additional isinglass has been 
dissolved in it, to give sufficient firmness to the whole. It 
must be observed, that, though just liquid, either jelly or blanc- 
mange must be as nearly cold as it will become without thick- 
ening and beginning to set, before it is used for this receipt. 

A sort of marbled or Mosaic mass is sometimes made by 
shaking together, in a mould, remnants of various-colored blanc- 
manges, cut nearly of the same size, and then filling it up 
wath some clear jelly. 

No. 2. — When a small part only of an open tart has been 
eaten, divide the remainder equally into triangular slices, place 
them at regular intervals round a dish, and then fill the inter- 
mediate spaces, and cover the tart entirely, with slightly-sweet- 
ened and well-drained whipped cream, 

1215. Pumpkin Pie, — Stew the pumpkin dry, and make it 
like squash pie, only season rather higher. In the country, 
where this real Yankee pie is prepared in perfection, ginger is 
almost always used with other spices. There, too, part cream, 
instead of milk, is mixed with the pumpkin, w^hich gives it a 
richer flavor. 



1216. Bhuharh Stalks^ or Persian Apple — Is the earliest 
ingredient for pies, which the spring offers. The skiu should 



PIES, ROLLS, YEAST, ETC. 835 

be carefully stripped, and the stalks cut into small bits, and 
stewed very tender. These are dear pies, for they take an 
enormous quantity of sugar : seasoned like apple pies. Goose- 
berries, currants, &c., are stewed, sweetened, and seasoned like 
apple pies, in proportions suited to the sweetness of the fruit; 
there is no way to judge but by your own taste. Always re- 
member, it is more easy to add seasoning, than to diminish it. 



1217. Sujwrlative Mince-meat^ for Pies, — Take four large lem- 
ons, with their weight of golden pippins, pared and cored, of jar- 
raisins, currants,- candied citron and orange-rind, and the finest 
suet, and a fourth-part more of pounded sugar. Boil the lemons 
tendei*, chop them small ; but be careful first to extract all the 
pips; add them to the other ingredients, after all have beerx 
prepared with great nicety, and mix the whole well with from 
three to four glasses of good brandy. Apportion salt and spice 
by the preceding receipt. We think that the weight of one 
lemon, in meat, improves this mixture ; or, in lieu of it, a small 
quantity of crushed macaroons, added just before it is baked. 

1218. Rolls, — Rub into a pound of sifted flour, two ounces 
of butter ; beat the whites of three eggs to a froth, and add 
a table- spoonful of good yeast, a little salt, and sufficient warm 
milk to make a stiff dough. Cover and put it where it will 
be kept warm, and it will rise in an hour. Then make it into 
rolls, or round cakes ; put them on a floured tin, and balcB in 
a quick oven or stove. They will be done iii ten or fifleen 
minutes. 



1219. To make Yeast in the Turkish manner, — Take a small 
tea-cupful of split or bruised peas, and pour on it a pint of boil- 
ing water, and set it in a vessel all night on the hearth, or any 
warm place. The next morning the water will have a froth on 
it, and be good yeast, and will make as much bread as two 
quartern loaves. 

1220. I)7jspepsia JBreacl— The following receipt for making 
bread, has proved highly salutary to persons afflicted with 
dyspepsia, viz : — Three quarts unbolted wheat meal ; one quart 
soft water, warm, but not hot; one gill of fresh yeast; one gili 
of molasses, or not, as may suit the taste ; one teaspoonful of 
saleratus. 



336 MRS. HALE^S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

This will make two loaves, and should remain in the oven 
at least one hour ; and when taken out, placed where they will 
cool gradually. Dyspepsia crackers can be made with unbolted 
flour, water, and saleratus. 



1221. JJnfermented Bread. — This keeps moist longer than 
bread made with yeast, and is more sweet and digestible. The 
brown bread made in this way is particularly recommended 
for dyspeptics. Take four pounds of flour, half an ounce avoir- 
dupois of muriatic acid ; the same of carbonate of soda ; about 
a quart of water. First mix the soda and flour well together 
by rubbing in a pan ; pour the acid into the water, and stir it 
well together. Mix all together to the required consistence and 
bake in a hot oven immediately. If instead of flour, unbolted 
meal should be used, take three pounds of meal ; half an ounce 
avoirdupois of muriatic acid ; the same of carbonate of soda ; 
and water enough to make it of a proper consistence. Mix in 
the same way. 



1222. Rice Caudle, — When the water boils, pour into it some 
ground rice mixed with a little cold water ; when of a proper 
consistency, add sugar, lemon-peel, and cinnamon, and a glass 
of brandy to a quart. Boil all smooth. 

Or : — Soak some Carolina rice in water an hour, strain it, 
and put two spoonfuls of the rice into a pint and a quarter of 
milk ; simmer till it will pulp through a sieve, then put the 
pulp and milk into the saucepan, with a bruised clove, and a 
bit of white sugar. Simmer ten minutes : if too thick, add a 
spoonful or two of milk, and serve with thin toast. 

1223. — Johnny Cakes. — Sift a quart of corn meal into a pan ; 
make a hole in the middle, and pour in a pint of warm water. 
Mix the meal and water gradually into a batter, adding a tea- 
spoonful of salt; beat it very quickly, and for a long time, till 
it becomes quite light ; then spread it thick and even on a stout 
piece of smooth board ; place it upright on the hearth before a 
clear fire, with something to support the board behind, and bake 
it well ; cut it into squares, and split and butter them hot. 

They may also be made with a quart of milk, three eggs, one 
tea-spoonful of carbonate of soda, and one tea-cupful of wheaten 
flour ; add Indian corn-meal sufficient to make a batter like that 
of pancakes, and either bake it in buttered pans, or upon a 
griddle, and eat them with butter. 



CKATASa, CURRY, ETC. 33T 

1224. Green Corn — Must be boiled in clear water, with salt, 
from twenty minutes to half an hour ; if old, it will require a 
longer time. It must be sent to table directly it is done, as it 
loses its sweetness by either boiling after it is done, or standing 
when dished. 

(A tea-spoonful of saleratus boiled with corn is said to pre- 
vent sickness.) 



1225. Corn, Oysters, — One pint of grated green corn, one 
cup of flour, one dessert-spoonful of salt, one tea-spoonful of 
pepper, one ^gg. 

Mix the ingredients together, drop, and fry them in hot lard. 
In taste they resemble fried oysters. They are an excellent 
relish for breakfast, and a good side-dish for dinner. 



1226. Sackafash, or _ Corn and Beans, — Boil three pints of 
shelled beans, or a quarter of a peck of string beans, half aa 
hour, pour off the water. Cut the corn off* of four dozen ears- 
put it in the pot among the beans, add salt and pepper, and 
cover them with boiling water — boil all together twenty minutes. 
Rub flour into a large piece of butter and stir it in, then let it 
boil up once. Pour it into your tureen and send it to table. 

1227, Winter Sackatash, — As in winter the beans and corn 
are both dried, they will have to be soaked over night. Par- 
boil the beans in one or two waters, then add the corn, and boil 
all together until the beans are boiled to pieces, which will be 
several hours. Add a small piece of loaf sugar. Before dish- 
ing it for table, mix a large piece of butter with flour, stir it ia 
and let it boil. 



1228. To make Curry Powders, — Take one ounce of ginger, 
the same of coriander-seed, half an ounce of cayenne pepper, 
and two ounces of fine pale turmeric ; these ingredients to be 
pounded separately to a fine powder, and then warmed by the 
fire, and mixed together. Put the powder into a wide-mouthed 
bottle, cork it well down, and put it into a dry place. 

TRose who dislike the flavor of turmeric may substitute saffi'on. 

1229. To prepare a Curry, — The meat should be fresh and 
free from bone. Cut it into pieces which can be easily served. 
To each pound of meat add a table-spoonful of curry powder, 

22 



338 ^ 2iRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

and about half the quantity of flour, and a little salt ; mix these 
together, and rub a portion of it upon the meat before it is fried, 
the remainder afterwards. Fry the meat in a little butter. 
Try onions a light brown, with a clove of garlic if approved ; 
drain the fat from both the meat and onions ; put them into a 
stewpan, and cover with boiling water ; stew for twenty minutes, 
then rub the remainder of the powder smooth with a little cold 
water, add it, and let it stew for an hour, or according to the 
time necessary for the meat to be well done. If no other acid 
is used, stir in a little lemon-juice just before serving: place it 
in the centre of the dish, and put carefully boiled rice round it, 

1230. Lord Olive's Curry, — Slice six onions, one green apple, 
and a clove of garlic ; stew them in a little good stock until 
they will pulp, then add one tea-spoonful of curry-powder, a 
few table-spoonfuls of stock, a little salt, and a little cayenne 
pepper, half a salt-spoonful of each ; stew in this gravy any 
kind of meat cut into small pieces, adding a piece of butter, 
the size of a walnut, rolled in flour. 



1231. To free Molasses from its sharp taste, and to render 
it fit to be used instead of Sugar, — Take twenty -four pounds 
of molasses, twenty-four pounds of water, and six pounds of 
charcoal, coarsely pulverized : mix them in a kettle, and boil 
the whole over a slow wood fire. When the mixture has boiled 
half an hour, pour it into a flat vessel, in order that the charcoal 
may subside to the bottom: then pour ofl'the liquid, and place 
it over the fire once more, that the superfluous water may evapo- 
rate, and the molasses be brought to their former consistence. 
Twenty-four pounds of molasses will produce twenty-four 
pounds of syrup. 

1232. To make Apple Molasses, — Take new sweet cider just 
from the press, made from sweet apples, and boil it down as 
thick as West India molasses. It should be boiled in brass, 
and not burned, as that would injure the flavor. It will keep 
in the cellar, and is said to be as good, and for many purposes 
better than West India molasses. • 



1233. To dress Chestnuts for Dessert, — Let them be well 
roasted, and the husks taken oflT. Dissolve a quarter pound of 
sugar in a wine-glassful of water, and the juice of a lemon. 



HOME-MADE WINES, ETC. 339 

Put this and the chestnuts into a saucepan over a slow fire for 
ten minutes ; add sufficient orange-flower water to flavor the 
syrup ; serve in a deep dish, and grate sugar over them. To 
be handed round whilst quite hot. 

1234. To improve Claret Wine when acid, — Place the cask 
on a stand for refining, put into it a quarter pound of chalk 
broken into small pieces. Let it remain one day, and then re- 
fine with the whites of six eggs, the shells broken, and a hand- 
ful of salt ; all these are to be mixed with some of the winC; 
and then thrown into the cask. The shells are not to be powder 
ed, but simply crushed in the hand. The wine will be fit for 
bottling in two weeks. When bottled, it should be laid ou 
the side. The bungs to be out as short a time as possible. 

1235. To improve Home-made wines. — When there is a ten 
dency to acidity in wine, add to it sugar-candy in the proportion 
of a pound to every four gallons ; dissolve it, and put it into 
the cask, incorporating it w^ell. 

Poor wines may be improved by the addition of bruised 
raisins. If one ounce of powdered roche-alum be put into a cask 
of four gallons of wine, it will make it fine and brisk in ten days. 
Eipe medlars, or bruised mustard-seed, tied in a bag, will re- 
move mustiness, or other disagreeable taste. 

Pricked wines may be improved, if not recovered, by being 
rac-ked off into a cask that has contained the same kind of wine. 
The cask should be first matched or sulphured ; and, to every 
ten gallons of wine, put two ounces of oyster-shell powder, and 
half an ounce of bay-salt ; stir it, and leave it a few days to 
fine ; after which, rack it into another cask, also matched. 

Burn dry walnuts over a charcoal fire, and when they are 
well lit, throw them into the wine, and bung up ; in forty- 
eight hours they will correct the acidity. One walnut will 
suffice for every gallon of wine. 

If bottled wine be ropy, shake it for twenty minutes, uncork 
k, and pour off the froth or scum, when the rest of the wine 
will be drinkable. 

1236. Cashing, — The casks should be washed with hot salt 
and water, then with hot water, and lastly with a portion of 
the fermented liquor made to boil. 

After the liquor is removed into the cask, it will slowly fer- 



840 MI^S- HALE'S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. . 

ment, and some will evaporate. . The cask should, however, be 
kept filled near the bung-hole, else the scum cannot be thrown 
out. 

When the fret subsides, -close the bung-hole, and bore a hole 
for a peg, to be withdrawn occasionally, else the cask may- 
burst. 

In the following Spring, determine whether you bottle or 
keep in wood another year ; but wines that have been properly 
fermented, and promise well, will be improved by remaining 
in the cask another year. Then, if the wine wants rich flavor, 
add to twenty gallons, five pounds of sugar-candy. 

1237. Bottling, — Brisk wines should be bottled on the ap- 
proach of Spring. 

If the wine be not fine enough, draw ofi*a quart, in which dis- 
solve isinglass in the proportion of half an ounce to twenty gal- 
lons, and pour the solution in at the bung-hole. In about three 
weeks, the liquor will be sufficiently clear for bottling. 

In drawing ofi*, be careful to tap the cask above the lees. 
The wine, to be fit for bottling, should be fine and brilliant, 
else it will never brighten after. When bottled, it should be 
stored in a cool cellar, and the bottles laid on their sides, and 
in sawdust ; but, on no account set upright. 

In making wines, it is a good plan to use two casks, one a 
very small one, from which the larger one may be filled up, 
during the fermentation. 

1238. Fining for Wine,—F\xt an ounce of isinglass into a 
quart jug, with one pint of wine ; stir it twice or thrice a day, 
and it will soon dissolve ; when strain it through a sieve. A 
pint of this fining will be sufficient for a cask of twenty 
gallons. 

When the fining is put into the cask, stir it up with a stick, 
taking care not to touch the bottom, so as to disturb the lees. 
Fill up the cask, if necessary, bung it down, and in a week 
the wine will be fit for bottling. 

For white wine only, add and mix, as above, a quarter of i\ 
pint of milk to every gallon of wine. It may also be fined 
with the whites of eggs, beaten up with some wine, in the pro 
portion of four whites to sixteen gallons of wine. 



1239. To sweeten Casks, — If a cask, after the contents are 
drunk out, be well stopped, and the lees be allowed to remain 



HOME-MADE WINES, ETC. 341 

in it til] it is again to be used, it will only be necessary to 
scald it ; taking care, before you fill it, to see that the hoops 
are well driven. Should the air get into the cask, it will be- 
come musty, and scalding will not improve it ; the surest way 
will be then to take out the head of the cask, to be shaved, 
then to burn it a little, and scald it for use. Or, put into the 
cask some quick lime and cold water, bung it down, shake it 
for some time, and then- scald it ; or, burn a match in it, and 
scald it. 

Or, mix half a pint of the strongest sulphuric acid in an 
open vessel, with a quart of water, put it into the cask, and 
roll it well about ; next day, add one pound of chalk, bung it 
down, and in three or four days the cask should be washed out 
with boiling water. 

To prepare a match, melt some brimstone, and dip into it a 
long narrow piece of coarse linen cloth, or brown paper ; when 
to be used, set fire to the match, put it in at the bung-hole of 
the cask, fastening one end under the bung, and let it remain 
for a few hours. 



1240. A Filtering Bog — Will be useful in fining wines : it 
may be made of a yard of moderately-fine flannel, laid sloping, 
so as to have the bottom very narrow, and the top the full 
breadth ; strongly sew up the side, and fold and sew the upper 
part of the bag about a broad wooden hoop, to be suspended 
by a cord fastened in three or four places. 



1241. Coloring Wines, — In the coloring of wines, many sub* 
stances have been used, and it is desirable to select such as 
may also communicate an agreeable flavor. Red colors are 
easily obtained from beet-root, logwood, or the berries of the 
elder ; and every variety of yellow may be produced by the 
use of burnt sugar, which also gives an agreeable bitterness. 

There is no end to the materials which have been used to 
give a flavor to wine. The flowers of elder, cowslips, clove- 
pinks, and mignonette, are well known. The shavings of orris- 
root^ in the proportion of half an ounce to twenty gallons, will 
be found to communicate an agreeable perfume. The shavings 
should be tied in a linen bag, and suspended in the cask by a 
string, so as to be removable at pleasure, if, upon trial, it is 
found that the flavor is likely to be too predominant. 



342 ^KS. HALE'S EECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

1^4% To chech Fermentation. — Sulphate of potash will stop 
ferraentatioD. One dram is sufficient for a pipe of liquor. It 
will be useful to the confectioner to know, that by the use of 
the same salt, the fermentation of syrups and preserves may 
also be effectually prevented. 



1243. Currant Shrub ; easily made. — To evefy quart of juice, 
add one pound of sugar, and one gill of brandy. Bottle and 
cork it tight. Do not put it over the fire. 



1244. Damson Wine. — To four gallons of boiling Avater, add 
a peck of damsons ; stir this liquor twice every day. Let it 
stand for three days, and then strain the whole through a lawn 
sieve. Add nine pounds of loaf sugar, and three spoonsful of 
yeast ; after it has worked in a tub for three days, turn it into 
a cask, and add three quarts of elder syrup. Rack the wine 
in a fortnight. Put in two lemons, sliced, a quarter of a pound 
of loaf sugar, rubbed on the peel, and two pounds of raisins, 
chopped. Stop it close till March, and then bottle it. 



1245. B^d Cherry Wine. — Strip, when full ripe, any quan- 
tity of the finest red, or Kentish cherries, from their stalks, and 
stamp them, in the same manner as apples for cider, till the 
stones are broken. Put the whole into a tub, and cover it up 
closely for three days and nights ; then press it in a cider- 
press ; put the liquor again into a tub, and let it stand, covered 
as before, two days longer. Carefully take off the scum, with- 
out in the smallest degree disturbing the liquor, which is to be 
poured off the lees, into a different tub. After it has thus 
stood to clear another two days, it must again be cautiously 
skimmed, and the clear liquid poured off as before. If the 
cherries are, as they ought to be, quite ripe and sweet, a pound 
and a half of good sugar will be sufficient for each gallon of 
juice, which is to be well stirred in, and the liquor again closely 
covered up, without being any more disturbed till the next 
day ; then pour it carefully from the lees, as before, put it to 
stand, in the same manner, another day ; and then, with the 
like care, pour it off into the cask, or casks, in which it is in- 
tended to be kept. The above process must be often repeated, 
shouid the lees appear gross and likely to make the liquor fret. 
When entirely settled, stop^it up, for at least seven or eight 
months • then, if perfectly fine, put it in bottles ; if not, drain 



HOME-MADB WINES, ETC. 34i 

it off into another vessel, and stop it up for six months longer^ 
before you venture to bottle it, when it will want only age to 
equal, if not exceed, all foreign wines. It will, however, be 
best not to drink it till at least ten or twelve months old. 



1246. Hich Morella Cherry Wine, — Having picked* off from 
their stalks the ripest and soundest morella cherries, bruise 
them well, without breaking the stones, and let the whole stand 
twenty-four hours in an open vessel. Then press out all the 
juice, and for every gallon, add two pounds of fine loaf sugar. 
Put this wine into a cask, and when the fermentation ceases, stop 
it close. Let it stand three or four months, then bottle it, and 
in two months more it will be fit to drink. Some crack the 
stones, and hang them, with the bmised kernels, in a bag, from 
the bung, while the wine remains in the cask. 



1247. Incomparable Apricot Wine. — Take eight pounds of 
ripe apricots, slice them into two gallons of spring water, and 
add five pounds of powdered loaf sugar. Boil them together 
for some time, without taking off the scum ; then skim it off 
as it continues to rise, and put it in a clean sieve, over a pan, 
to save the liquor which comes from it. When the boUing 
liquor is as clear as it can be made from the dross of the 
sugar, pour it, with the drainings of the sieve, hot on the ker- 
nels of the apricots, which must be put with the stones into the 
pan, where it is intended the wine should be left to cool. Stir 
all well together, cover it up closely till it grows quite cool, 
and then work it with a toast and yeast. In two or three days, 
when it is found to be settled, fine it off into a cask, leaving it 
to ferment as long as it will. After it has done working, pour 
in a bottle of old hock, mountain, or sherry, and stop it up for 
six months ; then, if very fine, bottle it, and keep it twelve 
months. This is indeed a most delicious wine. 



1248. To detect Sugar of Lead in Wines. — ^The tincture of 
orpiment converts wine so adulterated to a black color. 



1249. Orange Wine. — To ten gallons of water put twenty- 
eight pounds of loaf sugar, and the whites of six eggs. Boil 
them together for three-quarters of an hour, keeping the liquor 
well skimmed all the time, and then pour it hot into a tub, or 
large pan, over the peels of Mty Seville oranges. Wlwa U is 



344 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

iiearly cold, take three spoonsful of yeast, spread on a piece of 
toasted bread, and put in the liquor to make it ferment. After 
it has stood two or three days, pour it from the peels into the 
cask, with a gallon of orange juice, which takes about a hun- 
dred and twenty oranges. Let it remain in the cask till it has 
done hiseing, when the fermentation will have ceased. En- 
deavor to proportion the size of the cask to the quantity, as it 
must be kept filled, so as to work out at the bung-hole. When 
the fermentation is over, draw off as much of the wine as will 
admit one quart of brandy for every five gallons of wine. It 
will be fit to bottle, or drink from the cask, in four or five 
months. This wine, if carefully made, according to these plain 
directions, will be found exquisitely delicious ; and were it 
kept four or five years, would far surpass most of the best 
foreign wines, as they are usually sold in England. 

1250. Red Currant Wine. — To eight gallons of water add 
twenty-four pounds of loaf sugar ; boil the syrup and skim it, 
till the scum disappears. Have ready, picked from the stalks, 
two gallons of red currants, taking care not to bruise them. 
Pour the syrup, boiling hot, on the currants. Let it all stand 
till nearly cold ; then add a teacupful of yeast. Let it fer- 
ment for two days ; then strain it through a sieve, into the 
cask, and when the fermentation entirely ceases, bung it tight. 
It will be ready to bottle at the end of two months. Into 
each bottle put a small lump of sugar. 



1251. Raisin Wine. — To every gallon of water weigh seven 
pounds of raisins ; pick them from the stalks, and put them 
into a tub ; pour the water on the fruit, and let it stand a fort- 
night or three weeks, stirring it several times a day. Strain 
it, and press the fruit very dry through hair bags, then put it 
into a barrel, but do not stop it close. In about four months 
rack it, and then put a little fresh fruit, and some brandy, into 
the barrel. A quart of brandy, and eight or ten pounds of 
fruit, are sufficient for twenty-five or thirty gallons of wine. 
When the wine is racked, draw it off into a tub, and pass the 
sediment that remains through a flannel bag ; the head of the 
barrel must then be taken out, and the barrel rinsed with a 
little of the wine. After the head is again put in, add the 
brandy and fruit. Put the bung in for a little time, but not 
very tight. It will be necessary to refine the wine with isin- 



HOME-MADE WINES, ETC. 345 

glass, about three weeks before it is bottled, which should not 
be in less than a year. One ounce of isinglass, dissolved in 
half a pint of wine, and stirred into the barrel, will be suffi- 
cient. 

Before the water is poured on the fruit, it should be boiled 
with the stalks, and with hops ; the latter In the proportion of 
a quarter of a pound to every thirty gallons of water. Strain 
the liquor, let it grow cold, and then add it to the fruit. 



1252. Spruce Wine, — To every gallon of water take a pound 
and a half of honey, and half a pound of fine starch. Before 
the starch is mixed with the honey-syrup, it must be reduced 
to a transparent jelly, by boiling it with part of the water pur- 
posely reserved ; — a quarter of a pound of essence of spruce 
must be used to five gallons of w^ater, and when sufficiently 
stirred and incorporated, pour the wine into the cask. Then 
add a quarter of a pint of good ale-yeast, shake the cask well, 
and let it work for three or four days, after which, bung it. It 
may be bottled in a few days, and in ten days afterwards, will 
be fit to drink. When this wine is bunged, a quarter of an 
ounce of isinglass, first dissolved in a little of the warmed 
liquor, may be stirred in by way of fining it. In cold weather, 
the quantity of yeast should be increased : in warm weather, 
very little ferment is requisite. 

1253. American Currant TFi/ie.— -To one gallon of currant 
juice add two of water ; to each gallon of this mixture add 
three pounds and a quarter of sugar, a gill of brandy, and a 
quarter of an ounce of powdered alum : put the whole, into a 
clean cask, in March draw of, and add another gill of brandy 
to each gallon. 



1254. Rich Mead, — Mix well the whites of six eggs in twelve 
gallons of water ; and to this mixture, when it has boiled half an 
hour and been well skimmed, add thirty-six pounds of the finest 
honey, with the rinds of two dozen lemons. Let them boil 
together some little time, and on the liquor's becoming suffi- 
ciently cool, work it with a little ale-yeast. Put it with the 
lemon peel into a seasoned barrel, which must be filled up as it 
flows over with some of the reserved liquor; and when the hiss- 
ing ceases, drive the bung close. After the wine has stood 
five or six months, bottle it for use. If intended to be k^t 



348 ■ MR^'. bale's receipts for thb milliox. 

several years, put in a pound more honey for every gallon of 
water. 



1255. Red and White Mead with Raspberries and Currants,-^ 
For every gallon of wine to be made, take one pound and a 
half of honey, half an ounce of tartar, or Bologna argpl, and 
three-quarters of a pound of fruit. If for white wine, white 
argol should be used with white currants; if for red wine,' red 
argol with red currants or raspberries. Prepare the honey by 
mixing it with as much water as will, when added to the juice 
of the fruit (allowing for diminution by boiling, &c.), make the 
proposed quantity of wine. This being well boiled and clari- 
iied, infuse in it a moderate quantity of rosemary leaves, laven- 
der, and sweet-brier, and when they have remained for two 
days, strain the liquor, and add it to the expressed juice of the 
fruit, put in the dissolved argol, stir the whole well together, 
and leave it to ferment. In two or three days, put it in a 
seasoned barrel; keep filling it up, as the liquor flows over; 
and on its ceasing to work, sink in it a muslin bag of Seville 
orange and lemon peel, with cinnamon, cloves and nutmegs, 
and closely bung the cask. If kept for six months or more in 
the wood, and at least nine in bottles, this wine will be excellent, 
whether red or white. In a similar way may be made all sorts 
of fruit wines, thus substituting honey for sugar. 

1256. Nectar, — Take -half a pound of raisins of the sun, 
chopped, one pound of powdered loaf sugar, two lemons, sliced, 
and the peel of one. Put them into an earthen vessel with two 
gallons of water, the water having been boiled half an hour ; 
and put them in while the water is boiling. Let the whole 
stand three or four days, stirring it twice a day ; then strain it, 
and in a fortnight it will be ready for use, 

1257. Syrup of Cloves^ Cinnamon^ or Mace. — All these syrups 
are made exactly on the same plan. — Take two ounces of either 
cloves, cinnamon, or mace, well pounded, and put it into a pint 
of boiling water in a small stewpan. Let it boil half an hour, 
pass the liquor through a hair sieve, dissolve in it a pound and 
a half of powdered loaf sugar, clear it over the fire, with the 
white of an ^gg beaten to a froth, and a little rose or orange- 
flower water, and let it simmer gently till the syrup is formed 
ajid clear. When quite cold, put it in bottles, which must be 
closely corked. 



SYRUPS, SHERBET, ETC. 847 

i258. Syrup of Ginger. — Steep an ounce and a half of beaten 
ginger in a quart of boiling water, closely covered up for twenty- 
four hours ; then, straining off the infusion, make it into a syrup, 
by adding at least two pounds of fine loaf sugar, dissolved, and 
boiled up in a hot water bath. 

1259. French Rossolis^ pei'fumed with Flowers. — Boil two 
quarts of spring water, to take oif the hardness ; then take it 
olF the fire, and when it is only lukewarm, throw in a pinch of 
the most odoriferous flowers, and let them infuse till the liquid 
is cold, and the fragrance all extracted. Then take away the 
flowers with a skimmer, strain the liquid, and add to it a pint 
of clarified syrup, and half a pint of spirits of wine, and a ros- 
solis, or sun-dew, will be produced. 



1260. Bergamot Water. — Make a pint of syrup ; and when 
cold, press into it half a dozen fine lemons, with, or without, a 
Seville orange, or two China oranges, adding as much water as 
may be necessary ; then putting in a tea-spoonful of genuine 
essence of bergamot, run the whole through a lawn sieve, and 
it is immediately ready for drinking. 



1261-. Peach and Apricot Waters. — Both these waters, as well 
as those of other fruits, are readily made by mixing two or 
three table-spoonfuls of the respective jams with a few blanched 
and pounded bitter almonds, lemon-juice, and cold spring water, 
with powdered loaf sugar to your taste. On being run through 
a lawn sieve, these waters are immediately fit to drink. 



1262. Persian and Turkish Sherbet. — The method pursued 
by the Persians, Turks, &c., is to extract the fragrant, rich, and 
acidulated juices of the finest flowers and fruits, and make them, 
with the addition of sugar, into what we call fruit jellies or 
lozenges, which are dissolved in the purest spring water, and 
thus form the agreeable beverage denominated sherbet. For 
example, they evaporate the purified juice of citrons in a water 
bath with a slow fire, till it becomes of nearly the consistence of 
honey, melting, in the mean time, some finely powdered loaf 
sugar in a silver dish, and continually stirring it with a flat 
wooden spoon; when the sugar is very dry, they sprinkle over 
it, a little at a time, the prepared juice of citron ; continuing to 
stir it till the whole has sufficient moisture to form a paste, 



348 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

which they make into lozenges, and keep in a dry, and rather 
warm situation ; in this way, they prepare all the acid juices, 
such as barberries, lemons, gooseberries, 6lg, : with the less 
acid and more delicately flavored fruits, they proceed differently, 
only well heating the sugar in a silver dish, adding to it by de- 
grees the fresh juice, and stirring it constantly till a paste is 
formed. This must not be made into lozenges till perfectly dry, 
r.nd they must be put into a box lined with paper, and kept in 
a dry place. They are variously prepared with orange-flowers, 
roses, &c. The Persians and Turks are said to prepare a favor- 
ite sherbet with violet vinegar, pomegranate-juice, and sugai 
formed into lozenges. 



12G3. Hypocras^ as made at Paris, — Put into a quart of the 
best and strongest red wine half a pound of powdered loaf 
sugar, half a dram of cinnamon, a pinch of coriander seeds, two 
white pepper-corns, a little Seville orange peel, a blade of mace, 
a small quantity of lemon-juice, and four cloves ; the spices, &c., 
being all previously beaten in a- mortar. When the whole has 
infused three or four hours, add a table-spoonful of milk ; and 
filtering the liquid through a flannel bag, it will prove excellent 
for present or future use. 



1264. Strawberry Sherbet. — On half a pound of sugar of the 
best quality, broken into lumps, pour a quart of spring water. 
Let it stand until nearly dissolved ; give it a stir, and boil it 
for about ten minutes. Take ofl* the scum, and throw into the 
syrup a pint and a half of sound ripe strawberries, measured 
without their stalks. Let these simmer gently until they shrink 
much and begin to break, and keep them well skimmed, or the 
sherbet will not be clear. Before it is taken from the fire, add the 
strained juice of a sound fresh lemon, then turn the preparation 
into a jelly-bag, or let it stand for a quarter, of an hour, and 
then strain it through a muslin folded in four. This latter 
method is generally quite sufficient to render any liquid not 
thickened by the over-hoiX^di pulp of fruit, quite tmnsparent. 
When strawberries abound, a quart, or even more, may be 
used for this preparation ; and the proportion of sugar can al- 
ways be increased or diminished to the taste. To give the 
sherbet an Oriental character, boil in it the petals of six or 
eight orange, lemon, or citron blossoms; or orange-flower 
water may be used. 



LEMONADE, ORCEAT, ETC. 349 

1265. Lemonade [Italian), — Two dozen lemons must be pared 
and pressed ; the juice should be poured on the peels, and re. 
main on them all night ; in the morning add two pounds of 
loaf sugar, a quart of good w^hite wine, and three quarts of 
boiling water. When these ingredients are blended, add a 
quart of boiling milk. Strain the whole through a jelly-bag 
till it becomes quite clear. 

1266. Lemonade, — One of the best methods of making lemon- 
ade is to prepare a syrup of sugar and water, over a clear fire, 
skimming it quite clean ; to this add the juice of any number 
of lemons, according to the quantity you wish to make; also 
some of the rinds. 



1267. Bich Orangeade, — Steep the yellow rinds of six China, 
and two Seville oranges in a quart of boiling water, closely 
covered up for five or six hours; then make a syrup with a 
pound of sugar, and three pints of water, mix the infusion and 
syrup together, press in the juice of a dozen China oranges, and 
the two Seville oranges from which the rind was takeUi^ stir ihe 
whole well together, and run it through a jelly-bag; afterwards, 
if agreeable, a little orange-flower water, with some capillaire 
syrup, may be added, should sweetness be wanted. Two 
lemons may be used, as well as the two Seville oranges ; 
but care should be taken that the flavor of the lemons does not 
predominate, 

1268. Orgeat Paste, — This paste, which will keep twelve 
months, is nearly as soon made into orgeat as the orgeat syrup. 
The mode of preparing it in Paris, is by well pounding blanched 
almonds with a little water, to prevent their turning to oil; 
then adding half the weight of the almonds in pounded sugar, 
and mixing both together into a paste. 

Of this paste, when wanted, mix a small portion, about the 
sire of an Q^g^ in a pint of spring water, and strain it through 
a napkin. The usual English mode of making orgeat paste is, 
by pounding in the same manner, half an ounce of bitter, to a 
pound of sweet, almonds ; and boiling a quart of common 
syrup, till it becomes what is called blow ; mixing the almonds 
with it over the fire, well stirred all the time, to prevent burn- 
ing, till it becomes a stiff paste ; then, on its getting quite cold, 
putting it in pots, to be used in the same manner as the other' 



350 MRS. IIALfe's RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

1269. To cork^ and. i^rcserve Cider in Bottles, — Good corks 
are highly necessary, and if soaked before used in scalding 
water, they will be more the pliant and serviceable ; and by lay- 
ing the bottles so that the liquor may always keep the cork wet 
and swelled, will much preserve it. 



1270. Soda Water and Ginger Beer Powders.— Cd^rhontiiQ of 
soda and tarta-ric acid, of each two ounces ; fine loaf sugar 
rolled and sifted, six ounces ; pure essence of lemon, twenty- 
five or thirty drops. To be well mixed in a marble mortar, 
kept in a bottle closely corked, and in a very dry lAace. When 
required for use, two tea-spoonfuls to less than a half pint of 
water, to be mixed in a glass that will hold twice that quantity, 
and drunk while in a state -of effervescence. If half an ounce 
or one ounce (according as it may be liked more or less hot), 
of best ground ginger be mixed with the above quantity, it will 
be " ginger-beer powder." 



1271. Spruce Beer. — For white spruce, pour ten gallons of 
boiling water upon six pounds of good raw or lump sugar, and 
four ounces of essence of spruce ; ferment with half a pint of 
good yeast, put into stone bottles, cork and tie them over. 
For brown spruce use treacle instead of sugar. 

Essence of spruce is a remedy for colds, rheumatisms, &c., 
if drunk warm at bed-time. 



1272. An Irish Cordial, — To every pound of white currants 
stripped from the stalks and bruised, put the very thin rind of 
a large fresh lemon, and a quarter of an ounce of ginger, well 
pounded and sifted. Pour on these one quart of good old whis- 
key ; mix the whole up thoroughly, and let it stand for twenty- 
four hours in a new well-scalded stone pitcher, or deep pan 
(crock), covered closely from the air. Strain it off; stir in it, 
until dissolved, a pound and a quarter of pounded sugar, and 
strain it again and bottle it. This is an Irish receipt, and is 
given without variation from the original. 

1273. To prevent Beer from growing jiat. — In a cask contain- 
ing eighteen gallons of beer, becoming vapid, put a pint of 
ground malt, suspended in a bag, and close the bung perfectly ; 
the beer will be improved during the whole time of drawing it 
for use. 



BEER, VINEGAR, ETC. 351 

1274. To recover sour Beer, — When beer has become sour, 
put into the barrel some oyster-shelJs, calcined to whiteness, or 
a little fine chalk or whiting. Any of these will correct the 
acidity, and make the beer brisk and sparkling ; but it cannot 
be kept long after these additions are made. 

1275. Boss Vinegar for Salads or the Toilette. — To one quartei 
of a pound of rose-leaves put two quarts of good vinegar ) 
cover it firmly ; leave it to infuse till a fine tincture is obtained j 
then strain it. 



1276. Raspberry Vinegar. — Pour one quart of vinegar on 
two pounds of fresh raspberries, and let it stand twenty-four 
hours. Then strain them through a hair-sieve without break- 
ing the fruit ; put the liquor on two pounds more fruit, and, 
after straining it in the same manner, add to each pint of juice 
half a pound of loaf sugar ; put it in a stone vessel, and let it 
stand in boiling water until the sugar is dissolved ; when cold, 
take off the scum, and bottle it. 



1277. Cheap 2nd easy method of Brewing. — One bushel of 
malt and three-quarters of a pound of hops will, on an average, 
brew twenty gallons of good beer. 

Tor this quantity of malt, boil twenty-four gallons of water ; 
and, having dashed it in the copper with cold water to stop the 
boiling, steep the malt (properly covered up) for three hours ; 
then tie up the hops in a hair-cloth, and boil malt, hops, and 
wort, altogether, for three-quarters of an hour, which will re- 
duce it to about twenty gallons. Strain it off, and set it to 
work when lukewarm. 

In large brewings, this process perhaps would not answer, 
but in small ones, where the waste is not so great, and where 
the malt can be boiled, the essence is .sure to be extracted. 



1278. To make excellent and wholesome Table Beer. — To eight 
quarts of boiling water put a pound of treacle, a quarter of an 
ounce of ginger, and two bay leaves ; let this boil for a quarter 
of an hour, then cool, and work it with yeast, the same tis other 
beer. 



1279. How the Chinese make Tea. — The art of making tea 
consists in pouring the water on and off immediately, so as to 
get the flavor. 



852 MRS. H ale's receipts for the million. 

1280. Tea^ economically. — Young Hyson is supposed to be a 
more profitable tea than Hysx)n ; 'but though the quantity to a 
pound is greater, it has not so much strength, . In point of 
economy, therefore, there is not much difference between them. 
Hyson tea 'and Souchong mixed together, half and half, is a 
pleasant beverage, and is more healthy than green tea alone. 
Be sure that water boils before it is poured upon tea. A 
tea-spoonful to each person, and one extra thrown in, is a good 
I'ule. Steep a few minutes. 



1281. Turkish method of making Coffee. — The coffee must 
be slowly roasted, not burnt, and brought only to an amber 
brown : it must be roasted day by day. The flavor dissipates 
in a few hours ; it must be reduced by pounding to an impal- 
pable powder. In making it, two opposite and, apparently, in- 
compatible ends are to be secured — strength and flavor. To 
obtain the first, it must be boiled.; by boiling, the second is 
lost. The difficulty is surmounted by a double process — one 
thorough cooking, one slight one ; by the first a strong infusion 
is obtained ; by the second, that infusion is flavored. Thus a 
large pot with coffee-lees stands simmering by the fire ; this is 
the sherbet. When a cup is wanted, the pounded coffee is put 
in the little tin or copper pan, and placed on the embers ; it 
fumes for a moment, then the sherbet is poured on ; in a few 
seconds the froth (caimah) rises ; presently an indication that 
it is about to boil is made manifest, when the coffee is instantly 
taken from the fire, carried into the apartment, turned into the 
cup, and drank. 



1282. Cheap and valuable substitute for Coffee, — The flour of 
rye, and yellow potatoes, are found an excellent substitute for 
coffee. Boil, peel, and mash the potatoes, and then mix. with 
the meal into a cake, w^hich is to be dried in an oven, and af- 
terwards reduced to a powder, which will make a beverage 
very similar to coffee in its taste, as well as in other properties, 
and not in the least detrimental to health. 



1283. Substitute for Cream. — If you have not cream for 
coffee, it is a very great improvement to boil your milk, and 
use it while hot. 



1284. Cocoa is the foundation of chocolate j it may b« 



T© KEEP GRAPES, ETC. 853 

pounded, and either boiled as milk, or boiling water may be 
poured on it. It is very digestible, and of a fattening nature. 

1285. Racahout des Arahes ; a pleasant beverage for Invalids, — 
Mix thoroughly one pound of ground rice ; one pound of ar- 
row-root ; half pound of fine chocolate. Put the mixture into 
a jar for use. When it is wanted, make a tablespoonful of the 
Racahout into a paste with cold water or milk ; then stir it 
into half a pint of boiling milk, and let it boil up for a minute 
or two ; add sugar, if agreeable, and drink it as you w^ould 
chocolate. 



1286. How to judge the Properties of Nutmegs, — The largest, 
heaviest, and most unctuous of nutmegs are to be chosen, such 
as are the shape of an olive, and of the most fragrant smell. 



1287. To keep Grapes, — Gather the grapes in the afternoon 
of a dry day, before they are perfectly ripe. llave ready a. 
clean dry barrel and wheat bran. Proceed then with alternate 
layers of bran and grapes, till the barrel is full, taking care that 
the grapes do not touch each other, and to let the last layer be 
of bran ; then close the barrel, so that the air may not be able 
to penetrate, which is an essential point. Grapes, thus packed, 
will keep nine or even twelve months. To restore them to 
their freshness, cut the end of the stalk of each bunch of grapes, 
and put that of white grapes into white wine, and that of the 
black grapes into red wine, as you would put flowers into water, 
to revive or keep them fresh. 



1288. To keep Oranges and Lemons. — Take small sand and 
make it very dry ; after it is cold, put a quantity of it into a 
clean vessel ; then take your oranges, and set a laying of them 
in the same, the stalk-end downwards, so that they do not touch 
each other, and strew in seme of the sand, as much as will 
cover them two inches deep ; then set your vessel in a cold 
place, and you will find your fruit in high preservation at the 
end of several months. 



1289. Another Method, — Freeze the oranges, and keep them 
in an ice-house. When to be used, put them into a vessel of 
cold water till they are thawed. JBy this means they may be 
had in perfection at any season of the year. 

n 



354 MRS. HALE'g EECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

1290. Keeping Apples, — Apples should be placed on a dry 
floor three weeks before they are packed away in barrels. They 
should be kept in a cool place ; if inclosed in a water-tight cask, 
they may be kept all winter in a loft or garret without further 
care, and will come out sound and fresh in the spring. 

1291. To keep Onions, — Onions should be kept very dry, and 
never carried into the cellar except in severe weather, when 
there is danger of their freezing. By no means let them be in 
the cellar after March; they will sprout and spoil. 



1292. A good loay of cooking onions, — It is a good plan to 
boil onions in milk and water ; it diminishes the strong taste 
of that vegetable. It is an excellent way of serving up onions, 
to chop them after they are boiled, and put them in a stewpan, 
with a little milk, butter, salt, and pepper, and let them stew 
about fifteen minutes. This gives them a fine flavor, and they 
ean be served up very hot. 



1293. To keep Parsnips, — Parsnips should be kept down cel- 
lar, covered up in sand, entirely excluded from the air. They 
are good only in the Spring. 



1294. To keep Cabbages. — Cabbages put into a hole in the 
ground will keep well during the winter, and be hard, fresh, and 
sweet in the Spring. Many farmers keep potatoes in the same 
way. 



1295. To keep Potatoes, — The cellar is the best place for them, 
l^ecause they are injured by wilting ; but sprout them carefully, 
if you want to keep them. They never sprout but three times; 
therefore, after you have sprouted them three times, they will 
trouble you no more. 

Note, — Boiled potatoes are said to cleanse the hands as well 
as common soap ; they prevent chaps in the winter season, and 
keep the skin soft and healthy. 



1296. Boiling Potatoes, — The following method of dressing 
potatoes will be found of great use at the season of the year, 
when skins are tough and potatoes are watej-y. Score the skin 
of the potato with a knife, lengthv/ise and across; quite around, 
and then boil the potato in plenty of water and salt, with the 



TO KEEP THINGS, ETC. o5o 

skin on. The skin readily cracks when it is scored, and lets 
out the moisture, which otherwise renders the potato soapy and 
wet. The improvement to bad potatoes by this method of 
boiling them is very great, and all who have tried it find a 
great advantage in it, now that good potatoes are very difficult 
to be obtained. 



1297. To keep Celery, — Celery should be kept in the cellar 
the roots covered with tan, to keep them moist. 



1298. To keep Lettuce, — If the tops of lettuce be cut off when 
it is becoming too old for use, it will grow up again fresh and 
tender, and may thus be kept good through the summer. 

1299. Good Squashes, — Green squashes that are turning yel- 
low, and striped squashes, are more uniformly sweet aiffl mealy 
than any other kind. 

1300. To dry Pumpkin, — Cut it round horizontally in tole- 
rably thin slices, peel them and hang them on a line in a warm 
room. When perfectly dry, put them away for use. When 
you wish to use it, put it to soak over night; next day pour off 
the water, put on fresh water, stew and use it as usual, &c. 

Another and, as some think, a much better way, is to boil 
and sift the pumpkin, then spread il out thin in tin plates, and 
dry hard in a warm oven. It will keep good all the year 
round, and a little piece boiled up in milk will make a batch 
of pies. 

1301. To pickle large Mushrooms. — Pick them carefully, and 
take out the stalks; put them into a jar, and pour on them 
boiling spiced vinegar, with a little salt in it. 

1302. To preserve Green Currants, — Currants may be kept 
fresh for a year or more, if they are gathered when green, sepa- 
rated from the stems, put into dry, clean junk bottles, and 
corked vary carefully, so as to exclude the air. They should 
be kept in a cool place in the cellar. 



1303. Walnut Ketchup. — "^I'ake half a bushel of green wal- 
nuts, before the shell is formed, and grind them in a crab mill, 
or beat them in a marble mortar; then squeeze out the juices 



356 wi^s. hale's receipts for the million. 

through a coarse cloth, and wring the cloth well to get all the 
juice out, and to every gallon of juice put a quart of red wine, 
a quarter of a pound of anchovies, the same of bay salt, one 
ounce of allspice, two of long or black pepper, half an ounce of 
cloves and mace, a little ginger and horse-radish, cut in slices ; 
boil all together till reduced to half the quantity ; pour into a 
pan ; when it is cold bottle it, cork it tight, and it will be fit to 
use in three months. • If you have any pickle left in the jar 
after your walnuts are used, to every gallon of pickle put in two 
heads of garlic, a quart of red wine, an ounce each of cloves 
and mace, long, black, and Jamaica pepper, and boil them all 
together, till it is reduced to half the quantity, pour it into a 
pan, and the next day bottle it for use, and cork it tight. 

1304. To discover if Bread is adulterated with Alum. — Make 
a solution of lime in aquafortis, and put a little of this solution 
into water, in which you have steeped the bread suspected to 
contain alum. If such should be the case, the acid, which was 
combined with the alum, will form a precipitate or chalky con- 
cretion at the bottom of the vessel. 



1305. To preserve Biscuit from Putrefaction, — To preserve 
biscuit a long time sweet and good, no other art is neces- 
sary than stowing it, well baked, in casks exactly caulked, 
and carefully lined with tin, so as to exclude the air ; at the 
same time the biscuit must be so placed as to leave as little va- 
cant room as possible in the cask ; and when the same is 
opened through necessity, it must be speedily closed again with 
great care. 

1306. A good Yeast, — Put into one gallon of water a double- 
handful of hops ; — boil them fifteen or twenty minutes, then 
strain off* the water while it is scalding hot; stir in wheat flour 
or meal till it becomes a thick batter, so that it will hardly 
pour; — let it stand till it becomes about blood-warm, then add 
a pint of good lively yeast, and stir it well ; and then let it 
stand in a place where it will be kept at a temperature of about 
seventy dt*grees Fahrenheit, till it becomes perfectly light, 
whether more or less time is required ; and tlien it is fit for 
use ; — or if it is desired to keep a portion of it, let it stand sev- 
eral hours and become cool; and then put it into a clean jug 
smd cork it tight, and place it in the cellar, where it will keep 



THE DAIRY- 35*f 

cool ; and it may be preserved good, ten or twelve days, and 
even longer. 

1307. The Dairy, — Dairymen will find a great advantage in 
cheese making, by putting their milk, which is to stand over 
night, into small air-tight vessels. They wiJl also find it an 
advantage, when it thunders, to suspend the vessels by a cord 
or chain, as the jarring of the shocks, which sour the milk, will, 
in a great measure, be prevented. We may prevent the com- 
mencement of sourness, which takes place in milk standing in 
large quantities, by a wooden follower being fitted to the vat, 
and pressed on the milk. If any one doubt the utility of this, 
let him try the experiment for himself. Cover the bottom of 
your cheese-vat to the depth of half an inch with milk, and let 
it stand through the night, and then try to make a breakfast of 
it in the morning. You could relish tallow as well, or a piece 
of bread and butter that had lain in the sun an hour. Neither 
milk, butter, nor cheese will do to stand in the light of the sun, 
though it be reflected, as it will produce rancidity. 



1308. Butter, — Keep your pails, churn, and pans sweet. In 
winter warm the pans and churns with hot water, in summer 
cool them with cold. Keep your milk in summer where it is 
cool and airy, in winter where it is warm. In warm weather 
skim your milk as soon as it is thick; in colder weather skim as 
soon as there is a good thick cream, and be careful not to let 
it remain too long, as it will acquire a bad taste. Churn as 
often as you have cream enough, never less than once a week. 
If the cream is of the right temperature when commenced, it 
will not froth, and if it does, put in a little salt. Use no salt 
but tliG best ground salt ; work out all the butter-milk with a 
ladle in summer, in winter use clean hands. If you wish to 
keep it some time, put it down in a jar or firkin, or pickle- in 
layers, as cleah and free from bu :ter-milk as it is possible, leav- 
ing a space for pickle over it, in the following proportions. 
Half a pail of water, one quart of fine salt, two ounces of loaf- 
sugar, one ounce of saltpetre, well boiled and skimmed. When 
cold, cover with this, and it will keep good and sweet, the year 
round. * 



1309. Cream, — The quantity of cream on milk may be * 
greatly increased by the following process: Have two pana 



358 MRS. kale's receipts for the million. 

. ready in boiling hot water, and when the new milk is brought 
in, put it into one of these hot pans and cover it with the 
other. The quality as well as the thickness of the cream is 
improved. 



1310. Method of curing had Tvb Butter,— A quantity of tub 
butter was brought to market in the West Indies, which, on 
opening, was found to. be very bad, and almost stinking. A 
native of Pennsylvania undertook to cure it, which he did, in 
the following manner : — 

He started the tubs of butter in a large quantity of hot water, 
which soon melted the butter ; he then skimmed it off as 
clean as possible, and worked it over again in a churn, and 
with the addition of salt and fine sugar, the butter was sweet 
and good. 



1311. Method of taking the Rankness and disagreeable Taste 
from Iri^h Salt Butter — The quantity proposed to be made use 
of, either for toasts or melting, must be put into a bowl filled 
with Lolling water, and when the butter is melted, skim it quite 
off; by this method it is so separated from any gross particles, 
that it may require a small addition of salt, which may be put 
into the cojd water that is made use of in melting butter for 
sauce ; and though the butter is oiled by hot water, it becomes 
a fine cream in the boiling for sauce. 

1312. To remove the Taste of Turnips from Milk or Butter, — 
The taste of the turnip is easily taken off milk and butter, by 
dissolving a little nitre in spring water, which being kept in a 
bottle, and a small tea-cupful put into eight gallons of milk, 
when warm from the cow, entirely removes any taste or flavor 
of the turnip. 



1313. To make Salt Butter fresh, — Put four pounds of salt 
butter into a churn, with four quarts of new milk, and a small 
portion of arnotto. Churn them together, and, in about an 
hour, take out the butter, and treat it exactly as fresh butter, 
by washing it in w^ater, and adding the customary quantity of 
salt. 

This is a singular experiment. The butter gains about three 
ounces in each pound, and is in every particular equal to fresh 
butter. It would be greatly improved by the addition' of two 



BUTTER, OHEESK, ETC. 359 

or three ounces of fine sugar, in powder. A common earthen 
churn answers the same purpose as a wooden one, and may be 
purchased at any pot shop. 

1314. Method of making Stilto7i Cheese. — Take the night's 
cream, and put it to the morning's new milk, with the rennet ; 
when the curd is come it is not to be broken, as is done with 
other cheeses, but take it out with a soil dish ail together, and 
place it on a sieve to drain gradually, and, as it drains, keep 
gradually pressing it, till it becomes firm and dry ; then place 
it in a wooden hoop ; afterwards to be kept dry on boards, 
turned frequently, with cloth-binders round it, which are to be 
tightened as occasion requires. 

Ill some dairies the cheeses, after heii^g taken out of the 
w^ooden hoop, are bound tight round with a cloth, which cloth 
is changed every day until the cheese becomes firm enough to 
support itself; after the cloth is taken away, they are rubbed 
every day all over, for two or three months, with a brush ; and 
if the weather is damp or nioist, tw ice a day ; and even be- 
lore the cloth is taken off, the top and bottom are well rubbed 
every day. 

1315. Coloring for Cheese, — The coloring for cheese is, or at 
at least should be, Spanish arnotto ; but as soon as coloring be- 
came general in this country, a color of an adulterated kind was 
exposed for sale in almost every shop ; the weight of a guinea 
and a half of real Spanish arnotto is sufficient for a cheese of 
fifty pounds' weight. If a considerable part of the cream of the 
night's milk be taken for butter, more coloring will be requi- 
site. The leaner the cheese is, the more coloring it requires. 
The manner of using arnotto is to tie up, in a linen rag, the 
quantity deemed sufficient, and put it into half a pint of warm 
water over night. This infusion is put into the tub of milk, in 
the morning, with the rennet infusion ; dipping the rag into the 
milk, and rubbing it against the palm of the hand as long as any 
color runs out. 



1316. To make Cement for Bottles or Preserve Jars, — Take 
one-third bees'-wax and two-thirds rosin, according to the quan- 
tity of cement required. Pound the rosin fine, and put it with 
the wax to melt in any old vessel fit for the purpose. When 
it is melted, take it ofi' the fire, and add powdered brick-dust 



360 MRS. HAIJE'S RKCEIPTS for the MILllON 

till it is as thick as melted sealing-wax. Then dip the bottle 
necks into the cement, and in a few minutes the mixture will 
be dry. 

1317. Blue Wash for Walls, — Take one pound of lump blue 
vitriol ; pound it in a stone mortar as fine as possible ; dissolve 
it in a quart or two of hot w^ater. Slake about a quarter of a 
peck, or perhaps a little more of lime, and when cold pour in 
the i)lue water by degrees, and make it whatever shade you 
desire. 

The lime must be slaked and the vitriol dissolved in earthen 
or stone ware, and the whole mixture stirred with a metal 
spoon. If wood is used for any of the above purposes, the 
color will be changed. A new brush should also be used to 
put it on the walls, and they must first have a coat or two of 
whitewash, to destroy all smoke and other impurities. 

1318. Yelloiv Wash for Walls. — One quarter of a pound of 
chrome yellow, one quarter of a pound of gum Senegal, two 
pounds of whiting. 



EASY AND CHEAP MODE OF COLORING CLOTHING, Ac. 

1319. ^"^ Blue Composition^^'' a compound of vitriol and in 
digo, is usually kept by hatters and apothecaries. It colors a 
good and durable blue. An ounce vial, that may be bought 
for a trifle, will color a large number of articles. It is an eco- 
nomical plan to use it for old silk linings, ribbons, &c. The 
original color should be boiled out, and the material thoroughly 
rinsed in soft water, so that no soap may remain in it ; for soap 
ruins the dye. Twelve or sixteen drops of the blue composi- 
tion, poured into a quart bowl full of warm soft water, stirred, 
(and strained, if any settlings are perceptible,) will color a great 
many articles. If you wish a deep blue, pour in more of the 
compound. Cotton must not be colored ; the vitriol destroys 
it; if the material you wish to color has cotton threads in it, 
it will be ruined. After the things are thoroughly dried, they 
should be washed in cool suds, and dried again; this prevents 
any bad effects from the vitriol; if shut up from the air, 
without being washed, there is danger of the texture being de- 
stroyed. 



MODES OF COLORING, ETC. 361 

1820. How to color Green. — If you wish to color green, have 
your cloth free as possible from the old color, clean and rinsed, 
and, in the first place, color it a deep yellow. Fustic boiled in 
soft water makes the strongest and brightest yellow dye ; but 
saffron, barberry bush, peach leaves, or onion skins, will answer 
pretty well. Next take a bowl full of strong yellow dye, and 
pour in a great spoonful or more of the blue composition. Stir 
it up well with a clean stick, and dip the articles you have al- 
ready colored yellow into it, and they will take a lively grass- 
green. This is a good plan for old bombazet curtains, dessert 
cloths, old flannel for desk coverings, &c. 



1321. Slate Color, — Tea-grounds boiled in iron, and set with 
copperas, make a very good slate color. 

1322. Purple Slate Color, — The purple paper, which comes 
on loaf sugar, boiled in cider, or vinegar, with a small bit of 
alum, makes a fine purple slate color. Done in iron. 

White maple bark makes a good light-brown slate color. 
This should be boiled in water, set with alum. The color is 
reckoned better when boiled in brass, instead of iron. 

The purple slate and the brown slate are suitable colors for 
stockings ; and it is an economical plan, after they have been 
mended and cut down, so that they will no longer look decent, 
to color old stockings, and make them up for children. 

1323. To make Nankin Color.— K pailful of lye, with a piece 
of copperas half as big as a hen's Q^g boiled in it, will color a 
fine nankin color, which will never wash out. This is very use- 
ful for the linings of bed-quilts, comforters, &c. Old faded 
gowns, colored in this way, may be made into good petticoats. 
Cheap cotton cloth may be colored to advantage for petticoats, 
and pelisses for little girls. 

1324. Nankin Color ^ another way. — The common birch-hark 
makes a very beautiful nankin dye. Cover the bark with water, 
and boil it thoroughly in a brass or tin kettle. Bark stripped 
from the trees in autumn is best. Set the color with alum. A 
piece as large as a hen's egg is sufticient for two pailsful of dye. 
Dip the articl^es, wet thoroughly in clean water, into the aluna 
water, then into the dye. 



3G2 MRS. HALK's UECEiriS FOR THE MILLION. 

1325. To make Straw-color and Yclloiu, — Saffron, steeped in 
earthea and strained, colors a fine straw color. It makes a deli- 
cate or deep shade, according to the strength of the tea. The 
dry outside skins of onions, steeped in scalding water and 
strained, color a yellow very much like the " bird of paradise" 
color. Peach leaves, or bark scraped from the barberry bush, 
color a common bright yellow. In all these cases, a little bit 
of alum does no harm, and may help to fix the color. Ribbons, 
gauze handkerchiefs, &c., are colored well in this way, especially 
if they be stiffened by a bit of gum-arabic, dropped in while the 
stuff is steeping. 

1326. To make Rose-color, — Balm blossoms, steeped in water, 
color a pretty rose-color. This answers very well for the 
linings of children's bonnets, for ribbons, &;c. It fades in the 
course of one season, but it is very little trouble to re-color 
with it. It merely requires to be steeped and strained. Per- 
haps a small piece of alum migl^t serve to set the color, in some 
degree. In earthen or tin. 

1327. To color Black, — Logwood and cider, boiled together, 
in iron — add water for the evaporation — makes a good and du- 
rable black. Rusty nails, or any bits of rusty iron, boiled in 
vinegar, with a small piec^ of copperas, will also dye black ; so 
will ink-powder, if boiled with vinegar. In all cases, black 
must be set with copperas. 

1328. General Rules for Coloring, — The materials should be 
perfectly clean; soap should be rinsed out in soft water; the 
article should be entirely wetted, or it will spot; light colors 
should be steeped in brass,* tin, or earthen ; and if set at all, 
should be set with alum. Dark colors should be boiled in 
iron,' and set with copperas. Too much copperas rots the 
thread. 



1329. To Wash Carpets, — Put the carpets down on a per- 
fectly clean floor ; wash them first with warm and weak soap- 
suds, wringing the wash-cloth almost dry ; rinse them with 
clear water. Open the windows, that they may dry quickly. 

It is obvious that the above directions are only applicable to 
the lighter sorts of carpets, Scotch, Kidderminster, and Vene- 
tian. If it be desired to cleanse a carpet which has an under 



WASHING CARPETS, ETO. 3Q3 

texture of thread.^ as Brussels, tapestry, or velvet, the carpet 
having been well beaten or shaken, and washed, should be 
spread out, and scrubbed with a scrubbing brush and ox- 
gall. A pint of gall and three gallons of water will clean a 
large carpet. 

After the use of the gall, the carpet must be thoroughly 
rinsed, and dried in the open air. 

1330. To Wash Clothes, on a small scale,- — For a wash for 
three persons put three-quarters of an ounce of soda in soap and 
water over the fire. Wash the clothes first in soap and , 
water ; rub soap on the soiled or greasy places, and throw them 
in the mixture. Let them boil an hour ; rinse them in clear, 
cold water ; rinse them again in water with a little bluing in it. 
If the clothes are much soiled, put them to soak over night. " 

1331. Washing of Woollen Articles ; a7i excellent way, — It is 
a common complaint that woollen articles thicken, shrink, and 
become discolored in washing. The complaint applies both to 
the lighter articles of knitted wool, such as shawls, &;c., and to 
thicker and heavier materials-r-table baizes, carpets, and men's 
woollen garments. The difficulty in either case may be obvi- 
ated by strict attention to the method about to be explained. 
To clear the way, it may be well first to point out some things 
which never ought to be done, but which frequently, perhaps 
generally, are done : — 

1. Woollen articles are never to be w^ashed in hard water, 
nor in water softened by soda, potash, or anything of that kind. 
Soap even should never touch them. 

2. They are never to be rubbed at all. 

3. They are never to be put in lukewarm water for washing, 
nor in cold water for rinsingj. 

4. They are never to remain lying still in the water a single 
minute. 

5. They are never to be wrung. 

6. When taken out of the water, they must not be laid down 
at all, before the process of drying is commenced, nor at any 
time afterwards until they are perfectly dry. 

These things are to be avoided ; — Now what is to be done ? 

1. Let the things to be washed be first well brushed and 
shaken, to get rid of the dust. 

2. Before the woollen things are wetted at all, take care to 
have everything that will be required, ready and within reach. 



3G4 MRS. H ale's receipts for the million. 

3. If several things are to be done, let each be begun and 
finished separately. This makes no difference in expense or 
trouble. A smaller vessel and smaller quantity of lather will 
suffice, and the stuff in which one article has been washed, 
would do no good, but harm, to others ; it is, in fact, good for 
nothing. 

4. Use only fresh rain water, or very clear river water ; rain 
is preferable. 

5. With a piece of sponge or old flannel, rub up a very 
strong lather of either soft soap or best yellow soap. For very- 
large, greasy things, the lather may be made of ox-gall, half a 
pint to six quarts of water, whisked up with a handful of birch 
twigs (like that old-fashioned thing, a rod). In either case, the 
lather may be prepared with a small quantity of water, and the 
remainder added, boiling hot, the moment before using it. The 
whole should be as hot as the hand can bear it ; the hotter the 
better, [f the articles are very dirty, two lathers will be re- 
quired in succession ; and unless a second person is at hand, to 
rub up the second while the first is being used, both had better 
be prepared in separate vessels before the wools are wetted, 
leaving only the boiling water to-be added. 

6. Take the article to be washed, and without leaving hold 
of it, keep on dipping and raising, dipping and raising, tor two 
or three minutes. By that time the lather will be absorbed by 
the wool, and the liquor will resemble slimy suds. 

7. Squeeze the article as dry as may be, without wring- 
ing it. 

8. The second lather having been brought to the same heat 
as the first, proceed in the same manner, dipping and raising. 
N. B. — If the article was very little soiled, and after the first 
washing appears quite clear and clean, the second washing may 
be in hot water without soap. W*hether lather or water only, 
a blue-bag may be slightly drawn through before the second 
w^ashing. Whtsn gall has been used, a third washing in hot 
water only, will be required to take off the smell. 

9. Having again squeezed the article as dry as may be, for 
the lighter things, such as shawls, &c., spread it on a coarse dry 
cloth, pulling it out to its proper shape; lay over it another 
coarse dry cloth, roll the whole up tightly, and let it remain 
half an hour. This rule does not apply to large, heavy tilings* 
they must be hung out at once. 



FISH AS FOOD, ETC. 365 

1332. To make Soft Soap. — Bore some holes in your lye- 
barrel ; put some straw in the bottom ; lay some unslaked lime 
on it, and fill your barrel with good hard-wood ashes ; wet it, 
and pound it down as you put it in. When full, make a basin 
in the ashes and pour in water ; keep filling it as it sinks in the 
ashes. In the course of a few hours the lye will begin to run. 
When you have a sufficient quantity to begin with, put your 
grease in a large iron pot, let it heat, pour in the lye, let it 
boil, &;c. Three pounds of clean grease are allowed for two 
gallons of soap. 



1333. — Of Fish as Food. — As food, fish is easier of diges- 
tion than meats are, with the exception of salmon ; this kind 
of fish is extremely hearty food, and should be given sparingly 
to children, and used cautiously by those who have weak 
stomachs, or who take little exercise. 

The small trout, found in rivers, are the most delicate and 
suitable for invalids ; lake fish are also excellent, and any kind 
of fresh-water fish, if cooked immediately after being caught, 
are always health+ul. 

But the ocean is the chief dependence for the fish-market, 
and there is little danger (if we except salmon and lobsters) 
that its kind of aliment will, in our country, be eaten to excess. 
It would be better for the health of those who do not labor, if 
they would use more fish and less flesh for food. But then fish 
cannot be rendered so palatable, because it does not admit the 
variety of cooking and flavors that other animal food does. 

Fish is much less nutritious than flesh. The white kinds oi 
fish, cod, haddock, flounders, white fish, &c., are the least nu- 
tritious; the oily kinds, salmon, eels, herrings, <!k;c., are more 
difficult to digest. 

Shell fish have long held a high rank as restorative food ; but 
a well-dressed chop or steak is much better to recruit the 
strength and spirits. 

Cod, whitiiKj, and haddock, are better for being a little salted, 
and kept one day before cooking. 



1334. — Of Beef as Food, — Ox beef is considered the best; 
heifer beef is excellent where well fed, and is most suitable for 
small families. \i you want the best, choose that which has a 
fine smooth grain — the lean of a bright red ; the fat white or 
nearly so. 



363 MRS. n ale's receipts for the million. 

The best roasting-piece is the sirloin ; then the first three 
ribs — if kept till they are quite tender, and boned, they are 
nearly equal to the sirloin, and better for a family dinner^ 

The round is used for alamode beef, and is the best piece for 
corning. 

The best beef steak is cut from the inner part of the sirloin. 
Good steak may be cut from the ribs. 

If you wish to practise economy, buy the chuck, or piece 
between the shoulder and the neck ; it makes a good roast or 
steak, and is excellent for stewing or baking. The thick part 
of the flank is also a profitable piece ; good to bake or boil, or 
even roast. 

The leg and shin of beef make the best soup — the heart is 
profitable meat, and good broiled or roasted. The leg raud is 
used for mince pies — it needs to be boiled till it is very tender. 
The tongue, when fresh, is a rich part for mince pies. If eaten 
by itself, it should be pickled and smoked. 



1335. — Of PorTc as Food, — Pork, that is fed from the dairy, 
and fattened on corn, is the best — potatoes do very well for 
part of the feeding. But pork fattened from the still-house is 
all but poisonous; it should never be eaten by those who wish 
to preserve their health. 

The oflflils, &c., with which pork in the vicinity of a city is 
fattened, make it unsavory and unwholesome. Such stuff 
should be used for manure, and never given as food to animals, 
whose flesh is to be eaten by man. 

When pork is good, the flesh looks very white and smooth, 
and the fat white and fine. Hogs tw^o years old make the best 
— older than that, their flesh is apt to be rank. Measly pork 
js very unwholesome, and never should be eaten. It may be 
known, as the fat is filled with small kernels. 

When the rind is thick and tough, and cannot easily be im- 
pressed with the finger, the pork is old, and will require more 
cooking. 

If pork is not cooked enough, it is disagreeable and almost 
indigestible; it should never be eaten unless it is thoroughly 
done. 

The fat parts of pork are not ver}^ healthy food. Those who 
labor hard may feel no inconvenience from this diet; but chil- 
dren should never eat it; nor is it healthy fur the delicate and 
sedentary. Fat pork seems more proper as material for frying 



HINTS ON DIET, ETC?. gg^ 

fish and other meats, and as a garnish, than to be cooked and 
eaten by itself. It is best and least apt to prove injurious dur- 
ing the cold weather. 



"to 



1336. Of Mutton, — Mutton is best from August till January. 
It is nutritious, and often agrees better than any other meat 
with weak stomachs. To have it tender, it must be kept as 
long as possible w^ithout injury. Be sure and cook it till it is 
done ; the gravy that runs when the meat is cut, should never 
show the least tinge of blood. 



1337. Of using Gravies, — Make it a general rule never to 
pour gravy over any thing that is roasted ; by so doing, the 
dredging, &c., is washed off, and it eats insipid. 



SOME HINTS ON DIET, EXERCISE, AND ECONOMY 

1338. Meat for Children, — Lamb, veal, and fowls are deli- 
cate and healthy diet for the young and sedentary ; and for all 
who find fat meats and those of coarse fibre do not agree with 
them. 



1339. Uconomicals of Cooking Meats. — The most economical 
way of cooking meat is to boil it, if the liquid be used for soup 
or broth, as it always ought to be. 

Baking is one of the cheapest ways of dressing a dinner in 
small flirnilies, and several kinds of meat are excellent, done in 
this way. Legs and loins of pork, legs of mutton, and fillets 
of veal will bake to much advantage; especially if they be fat. 
Never bake a lean, thin piece ; it will all shrivel away. Such 
pieces should always be boiled or miade into soup. Pigs, geese, 
and the buttock of beef are all excellent baked. Meat always 
loses in weight by being cooked. — In roasting, the loss is the 
greatest. It also costs more in fuel to roast than to boil — still 
there are many pieces of meat which seem made for roasting ; 
and it would be almost wrong to cook them in any other way. 
Those who cannot afford to roast their meat, should not pur- 
chase the sirloin of beef Stewing meat is an excellent and 
economical mode of cookery. 



1340. Butter as Diet, — Butter, when new and sweet, is nu- 
tritious, and, in our climate, generally healthy ; during the 



368 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

winter, when made very salt, it is not a good article of diet foi 
some people. 



1341. Condiments, — Pepper, ginger, and most of the condi- 
ments, are best during summer; they are productions of hot 
climates, which shows them to be most appropriate for the hot 
season. On the other hand, fat beef, bacon, and those kinds ot 
food we denominate '' hearty," should be most freely used 
during cold weather. 

1342. Eat Sloivly, — Eat slowly. One of the most usual 
causes of dyspepsia among our business men, arises from the 
haste in which they swallow their food without sufficiently 
chewing it, and then hurry away to their active pursuits. In 
England very little business is transacted after dinner. There 
ought to be, at least, one hour of quiet after a full meal, from 
those pursuits which tax the brain, as well as those which exer- 
cise the muscles. 



1343. Of Breakfast. — Persons of a delicate constitution 
should never exercise much before breakfast. 

If exposure of any kind is to be incurred in the morning, 
breakfast should always be taken previously. The system is 
more susceptible of infection and of the influence of cold, 
miasma, &;c., in the morning before eating, than at any other 
time. 

Those who walk early will find great benefit from taking a 
cracker or some little nourishment before going out. 

Never go into a room of a morning, where a person is sick 
with a fever, before you have taken nourishment of some kind 
— a cup of coffee, at least. 

In setting out early to travel, a light breakfast before start- 
ing siiould always be taken; it is a great protection against 
cold, fatigue and exhaustion. 

In boarding schools for the young and growing, early break- 
fast is an indispensable condition to health. Children sHould 
not be kept without food in the morning till they are faint and 
weary. 



1344. Of Supper, — Never eat a hearty supper just before 
retiring to rest. 



HINTS OX DIET, ETC. 369 

Food should never be eaten when it Is hot — bread is very 
unhealthy, eaten in this way. 

1345. Of Dinner, — It is injurious to eat when greatly heated 
or fatigued. It would very much conduce to the health of la- 
boring men, if they could rest fifteen or twenty minutes before 
dinner. 

The diet should always be more spare, with a larger propor- 
tion of vegetables and ripe fruits, during s-ummer. Fruits are 
most wholesome in their appropriate season. The skins, stones, 
and seeds, are indigestible. 

Rich soups are injurious to the dyspeptic. Much liquid food 
is rarely beneficial for adults ; but a small quantity of plain, 
nourishing soup is an economical and healthy beginning of a 
family dinner. 

Meats should always be sufficiently cooked. It is a savage 
custom to eat n>eat in a half-raw -hall-roasted state, and only a 
very strong stomach can digest it. 

Eich gravies should be avoided, especially in the summer 
season. 

1346. — Of Drinks. — Most people drink too much, because 
they drink too fast. A wine-glass of water, sipped slowly, will 
quench the thirst as effectually as a pint swallowed at a draught. 
When too much is taken at meals, especially at dinner, it hin- 
ders digestion. Better drink little during the meal, and then, 
if thirsty an hour or two afterwards, more. The practice ot 
taking a cup of tea or coffee soon after dinner is a good one, if 
the beverage be not drank too strong or loo hot. 

Dyspeptic people should be careful to take but a small xjuan- 
tity of drink. Children require more, in proportion to their 
food, than adults. But it is very injurious to them to allow a 
habit of continual drinking as you find in some children. It 
greatly weakens the stomach, and renders them irritable and 
peevish. 

The morning meal requires to be lighter and of a more fluid 
nature than any other. Children should always, if possible to 
be obtained, take milk — as a substitute, during the winter, ^ood 
gruel with bread, or water, sweetened with molasses, is healthy. 
Never give children tea, coffee, or chocolate with their meals. 

Coffee affords very little nourishment, and is apt, if diank 
strong, to occasion tremors of the nerves. It is very bad foi 
bilious constitutions. 'J'he calm, phlegmatic temperament can 
24 



370 MRS. H ale's receipts for. the million 

bear it. With a good supply of cream and sugar, drank in 
moderation, by those who exei-cise much and take considerable 
solid food, it may be used without much danger. 

Strong green tea relaxes the tone of the stomach, and excites 
the nervous system. Persons of delicate constitution are al- 
most sure to be injured by it. Black tea is much less delete- 
rious. If used with milk and sugar, it may be considered 
healthy for most people. 

Chocolate, when it agrees with the constitution, is very nutri- 
tious and healthy. But it seldom can be used steadily except 
by aged persons who are very active. It agrees best with per- 
sons of phlegmatic temperament ; and is more healthy in the 
winter season than during warm weather. 

No kind of beverage should be taken hot — it injures the 
teeth and impairs digestion. 

134T. A few Rules for Health. — Rise early. Eat simple 
food. Take plenty of exercise. Never fear a little fatigue. 
Let not children be dressed in tight clothes; it is necessary 
their limbs and muscles should have full play, if you wish for 
either health or beauty. Wash yQvy often, and rub the skin 
thoroughly with a coarse towel. 

Wash the eyes in cold water every morning. Do not read 
or sew at twilight, or by too dazzling a light. If far-sighted, 
read with rather less light, and with the book somewhat nearer 
to the eye, than you desire. If near-sighted, read with a book 
as far off' as possible. 'Both these imperfections may be dimin- 
ished in this way. 

Clean teeth in pure water two or three times a day ; but, 
above all, be sure to have them clean before you go to bed. 

Have your bed-chamber well aired ; and have fresh bed linen 
fiw^ry week. Never have the wind blowing directly upon 
you from open windows during the night., it is not healthy to 
aletip in heated rooms. 

Wear shoes that are large enough. It not only produces 
corns, but makes the feet misshapen to cramp them. 

Avoid the necessity of a physician, if you can, by careful at- 
tention to your diet. Eat what best agrees with your system, 
and resolutely abstain from what hurts you, however well you 
may like it. A few days' abstinence, and cold water for a 
beverage, with cold or warm bathing, as the case may require, 
have driven olf many an appioach.ng disease. 



. EMEDIES, ETC 3^ 

If you find yourself really ill, send for a good physician. 
Have nothing to do with quacks; and do not tamper with 
quack medicines. You do not know what they are ; and what 
security have you that they know what they are 1 

1348. A few Remedies for Sickness. — The a^ue may be ren 
dered milder by the timely use of an emetic, given one hour 
before the fit is expected to return. For this purpose, one 
scruple of ipecacuanha may be given in an ounce of water. 
After each return of vomiting, give half a pint of tepid chamo- 
mile tea, which may be repeated three or four times, -but not 
oftener. When the disease has continued for some days, and 
the force of the fever is weakened by emetics, give to an adult 
the following preparation of bark : — 

Take of Peruvian bark, in fine powder, one ounce ; port wine, 
one quart; mix them, and let them stand together for twelve 
hours. Shake the bottle, and give four large spoonsful imme-^ 
diately after the hot stage of the disorder, repeating it every 
second hour till the whole be taken ; unless the coming on of 
the next ague-fit should require its suspension. 

^1349. Hysteric Affeclions, — So numerous and various are the 
symptoms said to belong to this disease, that it becomes diffi- 
cult to mark its peculiar character. It is frequently described 
%y the patient, as a round body moving in the bowels, ascend- 
ing to the stomach, and from thence affecting the throat with a 
sense of stricture, threatening suffocation. The patient also 
complains of palpitation, a costive habit, cold feet and legs, &;c. 
To counteract the force of these attacks, the bowels should be 
kept open by the following aperient mixture : — 

Take of infusion of senna, one ounce and a half; tincture of 
senna, tincture of cardamoms, of each half mi ounce. Three 
large spoonsful to be taken occasionally. 

The feet and legs should be kept warm, the head cool ; the 
diet should consist chiefly of animal food of easy digestion, as 
beef or mutton ; avoiding vegetables and malt liquor, indeed 
everything that has a tendency to generate flatulency. As a 
beverage, weak brandy and water, toast and water, tea or cof- 
fee, whichever suits the palate of the patient, may be freely 
used. Much depends on the cause — as that varies, so must the 
treatment. A dash of cold ivater on the face loill frequently jyui 
an end to the paroxysm. 



372 MRS. iiale's receipts for the million 

1350. Mumps are sometimes epidemic and manifestly con- 
tagious ; they come on with shivering and a sense of coldness, 
followed by an increased heat, and a considerable enlargement 
of the glands on each side the neck, below the ear, near to the 
angle of the jaw-bone. This swalling continues to increase 
until tiie fourth or fifth day, when it gradually subsides ; but 
before it entirely disappears, it often happens that other tumors 
take place in the breasts of women, to which the male sex are 
also subject in different parts of the body. 

They are more or less painful, but commonly run their 
course without any alarming symptoms, and therefore scarcely 
require any remedies. This entirely depends on good nursing ; 
care should be taken to avoid exposure to cold air, and no ap- 
plication should be used except a slight additional covering, 
fomentations, liniments, blisters, and whatever may have a 
tendency to check the regular process of this disease, may 
occasion a sudden determination to the brain, and prove fatal 
to the patient. 

A spare diet, gentle laxative medicines, and a free use of 
weak diluting liquors, are the best means to be employed ; 
these, with a well-regulated temperature, will generally guard 
off the secondary tumors. Bnt when the disease has been im- 
properly managed, and a determination to any vital part 
brought on, send for the physician. 



1351. Measles frequently assume aa alarming character, too 
much so to entitle them to a place in the list of common casual- 
ties. They are at all times too serious to be left, with safety, 
in the hands of the domestic practitioner. Medical aid, there- 
fore, should be instantly sought for, as much depends on proper 
management during the first stage of th^ fever. The approach 
of this disease may be known, by attending to the symptoms 
which precede the eruption, in the following order : First, the 
patient complains of shivering, with a sense of coldness, a thin 
watery discharge from the nose, hoarseness, cough, and a con- 
tinued flow of tears from the eyes, which appear red and 
inflamed. These symptoms continue to increase in violence, 
until the eruption is completed, when thev gradually subside. 
As this disorder has frequently a putrid tendency, which can 
only be counteracted by the scientific skill of the physician, and 
which, if neglected, or improperly treated, proves fatal,, there 
CAin be no excuse for not calling for his aid at the commence 



REMEDIES ETC, 373 

meiit of the attack. But that no time may be lost, should 
there be no physician present, an emetic of some gentle kind 
may be given and repeated every half hour till vomiting be 
excited. If it should not act on the oowels, take mild aperient 
medicine every fourth hour ; but this is not to be repeated after 
a motion has been procured. The patient should be kept in an 
equal temperature, near sixty-four degrees of Fahrenheit*, if 
exposed to a higher degree of heat, the fever might be increased ; 
if to a lower temperature, the cough and hoarseness would be 
aggravated* Wine, or wine and wa*er, and all other fermented 
liquors must be avoided. Toast and water, barley water, ap 
pie-water, rennet whey, tamarind tea, coffee, tea, or any other 
weak diluting beverage, may be freely used, provided they are 
of an equal warmth to milk when drawn from the cow; also, 
weak lemonade. 



1352. Soothing Beverage for a Cough^ after Measles, — Two 
ounces of figs, two ounces of raisins, two ounces of pearl barley, 
and half an ounce of liquorice-root. Boil- them together in a 
pint and a half of water, and strain off the liquor. A tea-cupful 
to be taken night and morning. 



1353. Costiveness may be relieved by a change of diet, exer- 
cise on horseback, or any other exercise in the open air, or by 
taking one of the following pills an hour before dinner : — 

Take of Socotrine aloes, thirty grains ; gum mastic, ten 
grains ; oil of wormwood, one drop ; tincture of aloes, a sufficient 
quantity to form the ingredients into a mass, which must be 
divided into twelve pills. 

This is an excellent dyspeptic pill^ and will afford great relief 
in all cases of weak digestion, 

1354. Remedies for Dysentery, — Black or green tea, steeped 
in boiling milk, seasoned with nutmeg, and best of loaf-sugar, 
is excellent for the dysentery. Cork burnt to charcoal, about 
as big as a hazel-nut, macerated, and put in a tea-spoonful of 
brandy, with a little loaf sugar and nutmeg, is very efiicacious 
in cases of dysentery and cholera-morbus. If nutmeg be want- 
ing, peppermint-water may be used. Flannel wet with brandy, 
powdered with Cayenne pepper, and laid upon the bowels, 
affords great relief in cases of extreme distress. 



3T4 MliS. bale's receipts for the MILL105f. 

1355. Another JRemedt,, — Dissolve as much table-salt in keen 
vinegar as will ferment and work clear. When the foam h 
discharged, cork it up in a bottle, and put it away for use. A 
large spoonful of this, in a gill of boiling water, is very effica- 
cious in cases of dysentery and colic. 

1356. Loss of Appetite,— This is generally symptomatic, and 
varies according to the occasional cause. The continued use 
of warm tea, of wine, or other spirituous liquors, diluted with 
warm water, or the use of warm water alone, if long continued, 
will occasion a relaxed state of the muscular coat of the sto- 
mach. This organ also suffers from anxiety of mind, a seden- 
tary life, or a costive habit; from these and other causes it 
becomes weakened, irritable, and incapable of digesting the 
most simple food. To restore the tone of the stomach, first 
give this emetic : — 

Take of ipecacuanha, in fine powder, one scruple; horse-radish 
tea, two ounces. Mix them together. Between the times of 
the operation, half a pint of horse-radish tea should be drank, 
but not repeated oftener than twice or thrice. Afterwards 
keep the bowels regular by the following aperient pills: — 

Take, rhubarb, in fine powder, carbonated kali, of each thirty 
grains; ginger, in fine powder, one scruple ; balsam of Peru, a 
sufficient quantity to form a mass; divide 4t into twenty-four 
pills. Dose, three or four every other night, at bed-time. 

At the same time, to restore the tone of the digestive organs, 
the following decoction should be taken : — 

Take of Peruvian bark, six drachms ; Cascarilla bark, two 
drachms. Bruise them in a mortar, and boil them in a pint 
and a half of water for a few minutes; strain off the liquor 
while hot, then add. tincture of bark, two ounces; diluted nitric 
acid, a drachm and a half. Dose, four large spoonsful, three 
times a day. 

1357. Cramp and Spasm. — It frequently happens that per^ 
sons are extremely annoyed by cramp during the night, which 
may be relieved by the following tincture : — 

Take of tincture of opium, two drachms ; ether, half an 
ounce. Mix them together, and take thirty or forty drops ev- 
ery night, at bed-time. 

1358. How to apply Blisters. — A considerable degree of pain 
and inflammation often follows the application of blisters, which 



IIJEMEDIES, RECEIPTS, ETC. 375 

may be obviated, by covering the blister-plaster with very thin 
muslin, which will prevent any part of it remaining on the skin, 
after the removal of the blister. The muslin should be pressed 
down, and rubbed with the finger upon the surface of the blis- 
ter-plaster. 



1359. Mustard Plasters — Should be covered with muslin, 
or the poultice put in a cloth bag, before being applied to the 
skin. 



1360. To prevent Lock-jaw, — Immerse the part injured in 
strong lye, as warm as can be borne. But first, as in all cases 
of wounds, apply spirits of turpentine on lint. 

1361. For a Stiff Joint, — An ointment made from the com- 
mon ground- worms, which boys dig to bait fishes, rubbed on 
with the hand, is said to be excellent, when the sinews are 
drawn up by disease or from a sprain. 



1362. Easy Method of curing the Scurvy, — The root of the 
garden carrot abounds in a nutritious saccharine juice, and is 
slightly aromatic. The-se are desirable properties against the 
scurvy. To experience the good effects of these properties, the 
roots must he eaten raw. There is nothing unpleasant in this ; 
on the contrary, it is what the common people. often do by 
choice. These roots would keep well during the longest voy- 
age, packed up in casks, having the interstices filled with 
sand. Each sailor might be allowed to eat one root every day, 
or every other day, according to the state of their health, and 
the quantity of roots on board. 

1363. To make Oliver^ or Goose-grass Ointment ; remarkable 
for its salutary effects in canes of inveterate Scurvy, — To a pound 
of hog's-lard melted, without spice or salt, put as much clivers 
as the lard will moisten, and boil them together over a slow 
fire; after stirring it till it becomes a little brown, strain it 
through a cloth ; and when cold, take the ointment from the 
water that will remain at the bottom, and it will be fit for use. 



1364. Easy Metliod of attracting Ear- wigs from the Ear. — A 
person lately having an earwig crept into his ear, and knowing 
the peculiar fondness that insect has to apples, immediately ap- 



oT6 MKs. male's receipts Foa the millioa. 

plied a piece of apple to the ear, which enticed the creature cut, 
and thereby prevented the alarming consequences which might 
have otherwise ensued. 



1365. Simple remedies for Scarlet Fever, — Open the bowels 
regularly every day, with some mild aperient medicine, such as 
castor oil, senna, etc., and keep the patient at rest, and comfort 
ably warm ; sponge the surface with tepid water, two or three 
times a day ; while it is hotter than natural, admit fi'esh air; 
live on a bland diet, such as a cup full of arrow-root, several 
times a day ; toast-water for common drink. Gargle made of 
strong sage tea, honey and alum, or borax, may be used from 
the commencement, if the throat is affected."— i)r. T. P. 
Hereford, 

1366. The French Method of making Whey. — Mix together 
equal parts of best vinegar and cold water ; a table-spoonful of 
each will suffice for a pint of milk. It is not, however, all to 
be put in, whether necessary or not; but when the milk just 
boils, pour in just as much of the acid as will turn it, and no 
more. Beat up together the white and shell of one egg, which 
boil up in the whey. Then set it aside till quite clear. Pour 
it off very steadily through a muslin strainer. Sweeten to 
taste, with loaf-sugar. This whey is very pleasant, and answers 
every good purpose of white wine whey, while it is not liable 
to the objection of being heating, and is also very much less 
expensive. 



1367. Calves'' -feet Jelly. — Take two calves' feet, and add to 
them one gallon of water ; which reduce, by boiling, to one 
quart. Strain it, and when cold skim the fat entirely off. Add 
to this tlib white of six or eight eggs, well beaten, half a pint 
of wine, half a pound of loaf-sugar, and the juice of four lemons, 
and let them be well mixed. Boil the whole for a few^ min- 
utes, stirring it constantly, and then pass it through a flannel 
strainer. 

This forms a very nutritious article of diet for the sick and 
convalescent. When it is desired, the wine can be omitted. — 
F:Uis. 



1368. Chicken Water. — Take half a chicken, divested of all 
fat, and break the bones ; add to this half a gallon of water, 
find boil for fifteen or twenty minutes. Season with salt. 



NOURISHMENT, KTO. 3t7 

This was freely employed by the late Dr. Parrish in cholera 
at its commencement. Taken warm, it produces vomiting, and 
washes out the stomach. 



1369. Essence of Beef, — Put into a porter bottle a sufficient 
quantity of lean beef, sliced, to fill up its body, cork it with a 
paper stopple, and place it in a pot of cold water, attaching the 
neck, by means of a string, to the handle of the vessel. Boil 
this for three-quarters of an hour, then pour off the liquor, and 
skim it. To this preparation may be added spices and salt. 

1370. A very reviving Odor, — Fill with recently gathered, 
and dried lavender-flowers, stripped from their stalks, small 
wide-necked scent-bottles, and just cover them with strong 
acetic acid. A morsel of camphor, the size of a hazel-nut, may 
be added, with advantage, to the lavender, in each bottle. 
Sound, new, and closely fitting corks should be used, to secure 
the mixture from the air. It is exceedingly refreshing and 
wholesome, and has often proved very acceptable to invalids. 
The lavender should be gathered for it before it is quite fully 
blown. 



1371. Easy Method of obtaining Water in almost any situa- 
tion, — The ground must be perforated by a borer. In the per- 
foration is placed a wooden pipe, which is driven down with a 
mallet, after which the boring is continued, that the pipe may 
be driven still farther. In proportion as the cavity of the 
borer becomes loaded, it is drawn up and emptied ; and in 
time, by the addition of new portions of wooden pipe, the 
boring is carried to any depth, and water is generally obtained. 

1372. Method of Draining Ponds in Level Grounds, — At a 
certain distance below the surface of the earth, there sometimes 
is a stratum of loose sand, which freely admits the passage of 
water. This stratum is at various depths, in different eleva- 
tions ; but it will be generally found, that lands most subject 
to stagnant ponds have but a shallow stratum of clay over the 
sand. All tiiat is necessary, therefore, is to dig a pit in the 
bottom of the pond, till you arrive at this stratum of sand, 
when the water will be immediately absorbed, and the pond 
emptied. 



o'lS MKS. male's receipts FOR THE MILLIUA\ 

1373. To pi^eserve Fishing-rods, — Oil your rods, in summer, 
with linseed oil, drying them in the sun, and taking care the 
parts lie flat: they sliould be often turned, to prevent them 
from warping. This will render them tough, and prevent their 
being worm-eaten ; in time they will acquire a beautiful brown 
color. Should they get wet, which swells the wood, and makes 
it fast in the sockets, turn the part round over the flame of a 
candle a short time, and it will be easily set at liberty. 



1374. To gild Letters on Vellum or Paper, — Letters written 
on vellum or paper are gilded in three ways; in the first, a lit- 
tle size is mixed with the ink, and the letters are written as 
usustl ; when they are dry, a slight degree of stickiness is pro- 
duced by breathing on them, upon which the gold leaf is imme- 
diately applied, and by a little pressure may be made to adhere 
with sufficient firmness. In the second method, some white- 
lead or chalk is ground up with strong size, and the letters are 
made with this by means of a brush ; when the mixture is 
almost dry, the gold leaf may be laid on, and afterwards bur- 
nished. The last method is to mix up some gold powder with 
size, and make the letters of this by means of a brush. 



1375. To make Pounce. — Gum-sandarac, powdered and sifted 
very fine, will produce an excellent preventive to keep ink from 
sinking in the paper after you have had occasion to scratch out 
any part of the writing. 



1376. Another Method, — Cuttle-fish bone, properly dried, one 
ounce ; best rosin, one ounce ; and the same quantity of burnt 
alum, well incorporated together, will make very good pounce 
equal, if not superior, to any bought at the shops. 



1377. To cut Glass, — Take a red-hot shank of a tobacco-pipe, 
lay it on the edge of your glass, which will then begin to crack ; 
then draw^ the shank end a little gently before, and it will fol- 
low any way you draw your hand. 



1378. Mrs. Hooker'' s Method of preparing and applying a 
Comj^osltion for Painting- in Imitation of the Ancient Grecian 
Manner, — Put into a glazed earthen vessel four ounces and a 
half of gum arable, and eight xjunces, or half a pint (wine mea- 
sure) of cold spring water ; when the gum is dissolved, stir in 



GKECIAN FAINT, KTC. 379 

jeven Dunces of gum-mastic, which has been washed, dried, 
picked, and beaten fine. Set the earthen vessel containing the 
gum-water and gum-mastic over a slow fire, continually stirring 
and beating them hard with a spoon, in order to dissolve the 
gum-mastic; when sufficiently boiled, it will no longer appear 
transparent, but will become opaque and stiff, like a paste. As 
soon as this is the case, and the gum-water and mastic are quite 
boiling, without taking them off the fire, add five ounces of 
white wax, broken into small pieces, stirring and heating the 
different ingredients together, till the wax is perfectly melted, 
and has boiled. Then take the composition off the fire, as boil- 
ing it longer than necessary would only harden the wax, and 
prevent its mixing so well afterwards with water. When the 
composition is taken off the fire, and in the glazed earthen ves- 
sel, it should be beaten hard, and whilst hot (but not boiling) 
mix with il, by degrees, a pint (wine measure) or sixteen 
ounces more of cold spring water ; then strain the composition, 
as some dirt will boil out of the gum-mastic, and put it into 
bottles. The composition, if properly made, should be like a 
ci*eam,and the colors when mixed with it as smooth as with oil. 
The method of using it, is to mix with the composition, upon an 
earthen pallet, such colors in powder, as are used in painting 
with oil, and such a quantity of the composition to be mixed 
with the colors as to render them of the usual consistency of 
oil colors ; then paint with fair water. The colors, when mixed 
with the composition, may be laid on either thick or thin, as 
may best suit your subject; on which account, this composition 
is very advantageous, where any particular transparency of 
coloring is required ; but in most cases it answers best if the 
colors be laid on thick, and they require the same use of the 
brush as if painting with body colors, and the same brushes as 
used in oil painting. The col(*rs, if ground dry, when mixed 
with the composition, may be used by putting a little fair water 
over them ; but it is less trouble to put some water when the 
colors are observed to be growing diy. In painting with this 
composition, the colors blend without difficulty when wet, and 
even when dry the tints may easily be united by means of a 
brush and a very small quantity of fair water. When the 
painting is finished, put some white wax into a glazed earthen 
vessel over a slow hve, and when melted, but not boiling, with 
a hard brush cover the painting wilh the wax, and when cold 
take a moderately hot iron, such as is used for ironing linen, 



380 MRS, Hale's receipts for the million. 

and so cold as not to hiss, if tonched with anything wet, and 
draw it lightly over the wax. The painting will appear as if 
under a cloud till the wax is perfectly cold, as also whatever 
the picture is painted upon is quite cold ; but if, when so, the 
painting should not appear sufficiently clear, it may be held 
before the fire, so far from it as to melt the wax but slowly ; 
or the wax may be melted by holding a hot poker at such a 
distance as to melt it gently, especially such parts of the pic- 
ture as should not appear sufficiently transparent or brilliant; 
for the oftener heat is applied to the picture, the greater will be 
the transparency and bi'iiliancy of coloring; but the contrary 
effect w^ould be produced if too sudden or too great a degree of 
heat w^as applied, or for too long a time, as it would draw the 
wax too much to the surface, and might likewise crack the 
paint. Should the coat of wax put over the painting, when fin- 
ished, appear in any part uneven, it may be remedied by draw- 
ing a moderately hot iron over it again, as before- mentioned, 
or even by scraping the wax with a knife ; and should the wax, 
by too great or too long application of heat, form into bubbles 
at particular places, by applying a poker heated, or even a 
tobacco-pipe made hot, the bubbles would subside; or siich 
defects may be removed by drawing anything hard over the 
wax, which would close any small cavities. 

VVhen the picture is cold, rub it with a fine linen cloth. 
Paintings may be executed in this manner upon wood (having 
first pieces of wood let in behind, across the grain of the wood, 
to prevent its warping), canvas, card, or plaster of Paris. The 
plaster of Paris would require no other preparation than mix- 
ing some fine plaster of Paris, in powder, with cold water, the 
thickness of a cream ; then put it on a looking-glass, having' 
first made a frame of bees'-wax on the looking-glass, the form 
and thickness you would w4sh the plaster of Paris to be of, and 
when dry take it off, and there will be a very smooth surface 
to paint upon. Wood and canvas are best covered with some 
gray tint, mixed w^ith the same composition of gum-arabic, 
gum mastic, and wax, and of the same sort of colors as before- 
mentioned, before the design is begun, in order to cover the 
grain of the wood or the thieads of the canvas. Paintings may 
also be done in the same manner, with only gum-water and 
gum-mastic, prepared the same w^ay as the mastic and wax ; 
but instead of putting seven ounces of mastic, and, w^hen boil- 
ing, adding five ounces of wax, mix twelve ounces of gum-mas- 



PAINTING ON GLASS, ETC. 381 

tic with the gum-water, prepared as mentioned in the first part 
of this receipt ; before it is put on the fire, and when sufficiently 
boiled and beaten, and is a little cold, stir in, by degree?, 
tw^elve ounces, or three-quarters of a pint (wine measure) of 
cold spring water, and afterwards strain it. It would be 
equally practicable painting with wax alone, dissolved in gum- 
w^ater in the following manner : Take twelve ounces, or three- 
quarters of a pint (wine measure) of cold spring water, and 
four ounces and a half of gum-arabic, put them into a glazed 
earthen vessel, and when the gum is dissolved, add eight ounces 
of white wax. Put the earthen vessel, with the gum-water and 
wax, upon a slow^ fire, and stir themi till the wax is dissolved, 
and has boiled a few minutes ; then take them off the fire, and 
throw them into a basin, as by remaining in the hot earthen 
vessel the wax would become I'ather hard; beat the gum-water 
and wax till quite cold. As there is but a small proportion of 
w^ater in comparison to the quantity of gum and wax, it would 
be necescary, in mixing this composition with the colors, to 
put also some fair water. Should the composition be so made 
as to occasion the ingredients to 'separate in the bottle, it will 
become equally serviceable, if shaken before used, to mix with 
the colors. 



1379. The Best Season for Fainting Houses. — The outside 
of buildings should be painted during autumn or winter. Hot 
w^eather injures the paint by drying in the oil too quickly; 
then the paint will easily rub off. But when the paint is 
laid on during cold weather, it hardens in drying, and is firmly 
set. 



1380. A cheap and simple Process for Painting on Glass, suf 
nclentfor the purpose ef making a Magic Lanthorn.^'riike good 
clear resin, any quantity, melt it in an iron pot; when melted 
entirely, let it cool a little, and before it begins to harden, pour 
in oil of turpentine sufficient to keep it liquid when cold. In 
order to paint with it, let it be used with. colors ground in oil, 
such as are commonly sold in color shops. 

1381. I'u make Phosphorus. — Two-third parts of quickdime 
(/.^.calcined oyster-shells), and one-third of flour of brimstone, 
put into a crucible for an hour, and exposed to the air for au 
hour, become phosphorus. 



332 MRS. hale'3 receipts for the million. 

1382. To make an Illuminated or Phosphoric Bottle^ which 
will preserve its Light for several months. — By putting a piece 
of phpsphorus, the size of a pea, into a phial, and adding boil- 
ing oil until the bottle is a third full, a luminous bottle is 
formed ; for, on taking out the cork, to admit atmospheric air, 
the empty space in the phial will become luminous. 

Whenever the stopper is taken out in the night, sufficient 
light will be evolved to show the hour upon a watch ; and if 
care be taken to keep it, in general, well closed, it will pre- 
serve its illuminative power for several months. 

1383. To Marble Books or Paper. — Marbling of books or 
paper is performed thus : — Dissolve four ounces of gum arabio 
in two quarts of fair water ; then provide several colors mixed 
with water in pots or shells, and with pencils peculiar to each 
color ; sprinkle them by way of intermixture upon the gum- 
water, which must be put into a trough, or some broad vessel ; 
then, with a stick, curl them, or draw them out in streaks to as 
much variety as may be done. Having done this, hold your 
book, or books, close together, and only dip the edges in, on 
the top of the water and colors, very lightly ; which done, take 
them off, and the plain impression of the colors in mixture will 
be upon the leaves ; doing as well the ends as the front of the 
book in like manner, and afterwards glazing the colors. 



1384. To Write Secretly on a Pocket ITandkerchief. — Dis- 
solve alum in pure water, and write upon a fine white handker- 
chief, which, when dry, will not be seen at all ; but when you 
would have the letters visible, dip the handkerchief in pure 
water, and it will be of a wet appearance all over, except where 
it was written on with the alum water. 

You may also write with alum watei' upon writing paper, 
which will not be visible till dipped in water. 



1385. To keep Insects out of Bird- Cages. — Tie up a little sul- 
phur in a silk bng, and suspend it in the cage. For mocking- 
birds this is essential to their health; and the sulphur will 
keep all the red ants and other insects from cages of all kind^n 
of birds. Red ants will never be found in a closet or drawer 
if a small bag of sulphur is kept constantly in these places 



BOOKS, READING, ETC. 383 

1386. Of BooJcs^ Mental Cultivation^ <£:c. — Our work would 
be incomplete, without some reference to mental as well as ma 
terial improvement. In truth, we have aimed, throughout thia 
and a former book,* to make the connection between the culti- 
vation of the mental faculties and true household economy 
apparent. To work properly we must think rightly. Science 
is as necessary in the kitchen as in the laboratory. The rea- 
son why men cooks are preferred above women cooks, and bet- 
ter paid, is, the fornaer study their art as a science. Knowledge 
is power, in domestic life as well as in the political arena. Let 
the woman elevate her position by her learning; let her un- 
derstand the nature and influence of her daily employments, 
cultivating her taste and refaiing her manners by the true stand- 
ard of moral excellence; thus making her home-pursuits con- 
duce to the harmony and happiness of the general plan of life 
in which she, the wife and mother, is the centre of attraction 
and volition, and how important for humanity her sphere 
becomes. 



1 387. Choice of Reading, — Never- keep house without books. 
Life is not life to any great purpose where books are not. The 
Bible is indispensable. Out of its treasures of Divine wisdom 
all best human wisdom is derived or directed. Then have 
other books, as your means permit. If these are rightly cho- 
sen, every volume will be a teacher, a friend — a fountain, from 
whence may be drawn sweet streams of pleasure and profit. 
Poetry, story, biography, history, essays, and religious works — - 
1 njime these in the order a child chooses books — all are needed. 
American literature — that is, books on subjects connected with 
our own country, should be first in our reading. Bancroft's 
'' History of the United States," Sparkes' " American Biogra- 
phies," Lippincotc's " Cabinet Histories of the States," Mrs. 
Ellet's ''Women of the Revolution" — these should be accessible 
to every family in the Union. Read on every subject con- 
nected with your own pursuits and employments. Knowledge 
will aid you e\ en in hand labor; and a good book is a safa 
rt'fut^e in idle huuis. 



L388. Of Periodicals and Newspapers, — Every family should 
take a newspaper; this, the lady of the house should insist 



*Seo "Mrs, Hale's New Cook Book." 



384 MRS. H ale's receipts for the million 

upon — kindly, to be sure; for a. pleasant request is as powerful 
as " a soft answer" in " turning away wrath." Men, usually, 
are willing to subscribe for a paper, though some are indiffer- 
ent to this great source of family instruction as well as pleasure ; 
but they forget, when the year comes round, to renew their sub- 
scription in the right way. So the women of the family should 
be sure to remember the printer. 

Another important source of family improvement is the peri- 
odicals or monthly magazines. These are now, thanks to the 
cheap postage system, accessible to the dwellers in the most 
remote places of our wide land. "As a work for our own sex, 
Godey's Lady's Book is the best that can be taken in a family, 
because it furnishes information on every branch of home du- 
ties and pursuits; and moreover, upholds that pure standard 
of morals in its lightest fiction, which renders it a safe enjoy- 
ment for the young. 

Many other periodicals might be named, all excellent of 
their kind, and where the expense can be afforded, each house- 
hold should obtain one or more of these. A better way would 
oe for a neighborhood to unite and take a half dozen different 
publications, securing the inestimable advantage of reading 
every month the best religious, medical, agricultun;!, scientific, 
literary, and illustrated magazines — thus keeping up with the 
progress of art, the march of mind, the material advancement, 
and the moral improvement of the world. 



1389. How can we Pay for the Magazines? — Is the question 
with many families. Very easily, if you have the will — one 
half of the money spent on tobacco would, if laid out in books, 
soon give every family a library. And, young ladies, if you 
cannot pereuade your brothers to throw aside their cigars, and 
subscribe, why, look over this book, and see, if from its eco- 
nomical hints you cannot devise some plan of earning or saving, 
whereby you may be able to pay for the magazines. Do this 
one year; husband or brother will then be ready to aid. 
Woman has everything to gain from Christian civilization ; she 
should lead the way. 



PAET VIII. 

ELEGANT AND INGENIOUS ARTS, ETC. 

Water- Colors — Potichomanie — Grecian Painting — Diaphanic 
Feather Flowers — Sea- Weeds — Botanical Specimens — 
Leaves — Plants — Fungi—. Transferring — Etching — Stain- 
ing — Leather-work — Games, etc. 

1390. Mome Pursuits, etc. — See Part IIT., page 151. 



1391. Accomplishments. — These are very desirable for the 
household, because the inmates are made happier by refined 
and ingenious arts and pursuits, and are fitted to improve the 
taste of others. 



1392. Children and young persons, of botb sexes, should 
learn as many of these arts as they possibly can without neg- 
lecting duties. Pleasant modes of employing leisure hours 
save people from many temptations, and add much to the 
happiness of life. 



WATER-COLORS USED IN DRAWING. 

1393. Indian InJc. — The best is stamped with Chinese 
characters, breaks with a glossy fracture, and feels smooth 
when rubbed on the plate. 



1394. Hair Pencils are made of camel's-hair ; if they come 
to a point, when moistened, without splitting, they are good. 



1395. Drawing Paper. — That made without any wire 
marks, and called wove paper, is the best ; it is made of va- 
rious sizes and thicknesses. 

25 (385) 



386 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

1396. To make a good White, — Clarify white lead with 
white-wine vinegar. After the powder has settled, pour off 
the vinegar, put the powder into a glass of water, stir it, 
and pour the water off while it is white into another glass ; 
when it is settled, pour off the water, and an excellent white 
will be obtained. To this add gum enough to give it a gloss. 



DIRECTIONS FOR MIXED COLORS. 

139T. Ash Color. — Ceruse white, Keating's black and 
white, shaded with cherry-stone black. 



1398. Bay. — Lake and flake white, shaded with carmine : 
bistre and vermilion shaded with black. 



1399. Changeable Silk. — Red lead and masticot water, 
shaded with sap-green and verdigris. 



1400. Another, — Lake and yellow, shaded with lake and 
Prussian blue. 



1401. Cloud Color. — Light masticot, or lake and white, 
shaded with b4ue verditer. 



1402. ^no^/ier. —-Constant white and Indian ink, and a 
little vermilion. 



1403. Another. — White, with a little lake and blue verditer, 
make a good cloud color for that part next the horizon. 



1404. Crimson. — Lake and white, with a little vermilion, 
shaded with lake and carmine. 



1405. Flame Color. — Yermilion and orpiment, heightened 
with white. 



1406. Another. — Gamboge, shaded with minium and red 
lead. 



1407. Flesh Color. — Ceruse, red lead, and lake, for a 
swarthy complexion, and yellow ochre. 



DIRECTIONS FOR MIXED COLORS. 38Y 

1408. Another. — Constant white and a little carmine, shaded 
with Spanish liquorice washed with carmine. 



1409. French Green, — Light pink and Dutch bice, shaded 
with green pink. 



1410. Glass Grey. — Ceruse, with a little blue of any kind. 



1411. Hair Color. — Masticot, ochre, umber, ceruse, and 
cherry-stone black. 



1412. Lead (7oZor.— Indigo and white. 



1413. Light Blue. — Blue bice, heightened with flake white. 



1414. Another. — Blue verditer, and white of any sort, well 
ground. 



1415. Light Green. — Pink, smalt, and white. 



1416. Another, — Blue verditer and gamboge. 



1417. Another. — Gamboge and verdigris. This is chiefly 
used for the ground colors of trees, fields, &c. 



1418. Lion Tawny. — Red lead and masticot, shaded with 
umber. 



1419. Murrey. — Lake and white lead. 



1420. Orange, — Red lead and a little masticot, shaded with 
umber. 



1421. Orange Tawny. — Lake, light pink, a little masticot, 
shaded with gall-stone and lake. 



1422. Pearl Color. — Carmine, a little white, shaded with 
lake. 



1423. Popinjay Green. — Green and masticot ; or pink and 
a little indigo, shaded with indigo. 



388 MRS. iiale's keoeipts for the million. 

1424. Purple. — Tndigo, Spanish brown, and white ; or blue 
bice, red and white lead ; or blue bice and lake. 



1425. Busset, — Cherry-stone black and white. 



1426. Scarlet. — Red lead and lake, with or without ver- 
milion. 



142Y. Sea Green.— Wice, pink and white, shaded with pink. 



1428. Sky Color. — Light masticot and white, for the low- 
est and lightest parts ; second, red ink and w^hite ; third, blue 
bice and white ; fourth, blue bice alone. These are all to be 
softened into one another at the edges, so as not to appear 
harsh. 



1429. Sky Color for Drapery. — Blue bice and ceruse, or 
ultramarine and white, shaded with indigo. 



1430. Straw Color, — Masticot and a very little lake, shaded 
with Dutch pink. 



1431. Yellow Color. — Indigo, white, and lake; or fine 
Dutch bice and lake, shaded with indigo ; or litmus smalt and 
bice, the latter predominant. 



1432. Water. — Blue and white, shaded with blue, and 
heightened with white. 



1433. Another. — Blue verdigris, shaded with indigo, and 
heightened with white. 



1434. To prevent Colors from Cracking. — Boil two ounces 
of the best and clearest glue, with one pint of clear water, and 
a half an ounce of alum, till dissolved. With this temper 
those colors intended for the sky. 



1435. To make a Solution of Gum. — Dissolve an ounce 
of white gum arable, and half an ounce of double refined 
sugar, in a quart of spring water ; strain it through a piece 
of muslin, and bottle it to keep it free from dust. 



TO MIX WATER-COLORS FOR ANIMALS. 389 

1436. To heep Flies from the Work. — Having prepared 
the glim water for the colors, add a little coloquintida. 



143Y. To prepare Alum Water, — Take four ounces of alum, 
and a pint of spring water; boil it till the alum is thoroughly 
dissolved, and then filter it through blotting-paper. 



1438. To use Alum Water. — Before laying on the colors, 
take some of this water, hot, and with a sponge wet the back 
of the paper, which, if not good, must be wet three or four 
times, letting the paper dry each time before wetting it again. 
This will prevent the sinking of the colors, and give them ad- 
ditional lustre. 



1439. To make Lime Water. — Put unslacked lime in a 
well-glazed pan ; cover it with pure water, and let it remain 
for one day. 'Then strain off the water. * This water will 
change sap-green into blue. 



TO PREPARE WASH COLORS FOR MAPS. 

1440. Blue. — Dilute Saxon blue with water ;^ or to the so- 
lution of litmus add distilled vineo:ar. 



1441. Green. — Dissolve verdigris in distilled water and add 
gum arable. 



1442. Or, dissolve sap-green in water and add gum. 



1443. Red. — Steep Brazil dust in vinegar, with alum. Or, 
dissolve litmus in water and add spirit of wine.- 



1444. Or, steep cochineal in water, strain, and add gum. 



1445. Yelloiv. — Dissolve gamboge in water; or French 
berries steeped in water the liquor strained, and gum arable 
added. 



TO MIX WATER-COLORS FOR ANIMALS. 

1446. Horses, Black. — Black lightly laid on, shaded with 
Keating's black and bistre, heightened with masticot. 



390 MRS. HALE*S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

144T. Horses, Chestnut Broivn.' — Keel ochre and black 
mixed together, shaded with black, heightened with red ochre 
and w^hite. 



1448. Horses, Gray. — Black and white mixed, shaded with 
black, white, and bistre ; heightened with pure water. 



1449. Lions. — Color much in the same manner as horses, 
adding lake in the ground color. 



1450. Bears. — Brown ochre, red ochre, and black, mixed ; 
shaded with bistre and ivory black. 



1451. Wolves. — Spanish liquorice and black, shaded with 
black. 



1452. Asses. — Black and white mixed ; or, add a little 
brown ochre, shaded with black. 



1453. Elephants. — Black, white, and Spanish liquorice, 
mixed ; shaded with black and bistre ; the inner part of the 
nose, vermilion and white, shaded with black. 



1454. Monkeys. — Dutch pink and black, heightened with 
masticot and white : the face, black and bistre mixed, as also 
their feet ; their bodies, shaded underneath with black and pink 
mixed with a little brown ochre. 



FRUIT IN WATER COLORS. 

1455. Apples. — Thin masticot mixed with verdigris, shaded 
with brown ochre. 



1456. Cherries. — ^Vermilion and lake, shaded with ear- 
mine, heightened with vermilion and white. 



1457. Grapes, Blue. — Dark purple shaded with blue ; the 
bloom, biee. 



1458. Grapes, White. — Yerdigris and masticot mixed, 
shaded with thin verdigris heightened with masticot and white. 



TO PAINT FLOWERS. 891 

1459. Peaches. — Thin raasticot shaded with brown ochre; 
the bloom, lake heightened with white. 



1460. P^ars.— Masticot deepened and mellowed with brown 
ochre. 



1461. Strawberries. — White ; draw it over with vermilion 
and lake, shaded with fine lake, heightened with red lead and 
masticot mixed, and then with white ; stipple them with white 
and thin lead. 



TO PAINT FLOWERS. 

1462. Anemones. — A thin wash of gamboge shaded with 
bistre ; or carmine and spp-green blended together. The 
stripes carmine, shaded with the same ; indigo in the darkest 
parts, or stipple with it. 



1463. Leaves. — Sap green, shaded with indigo and French 
berries ; the stalk brown. 



1464. noneysxickles. — Inside of the petals, white shaded 
witt sap-green, or gamboge and bistre. 



1465. The insides are to be shown by curling the leaves 
back at the ends, or by splitting them. 



1466. The oiUsides, a thin wash of carmine and lake mixed, 
shaded with carmine — indii^o for the darkest shades. 



1461. Stalks. — Sap-green and carmine. 



1468. Leaves. — Sap-green, shaded with indigo and French 
berries. 



1469. Boses. — A light tint of pure carmine, over which an- 
other equally light of Peruvian blue ; proceed with the darker 
shades of carmine of the best sort. 



1410. In the darkest part of the flower add a little indigo 
to give a roundness. If the seeds are seen lay on gamboge, 



shaded with gall-stone. 



392 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

1411. Leaves. — Upper side, sap-green, shaded with indigo 
and French berries mixed; under-side, white indigo and sap 
green mixed, shaded with the same. 



1472. Stalks. — Sap-green and carmine, shaded with indigo. 



1413. JRose-biicls. — A pale wash of carmine, shaded with a 
strono-er wash of the same. 



1414. Stalks and leaves, sap green with a slight wash of 
carmine. 

BIRDS IN WATER-COLORS. 

1415. Eagles. — Black and brown, shaded with indigo ; 
feathers heightened by brown ochre and white; beak and 
claws saffron, shaded with bistre ; eyes vermilion, heightened 
with masticot or saffron, shaded with vermilion. 



1416. Geese. — Ceruse shaded with black ; legs, black ; bill, 
red. 



1411, Owls. — Ochre mixed with white, in different shades ; 
legs, yellow ochre. 



1418. Pheasants. — White and black mixed; legs, Dutch 
pink, shaded with black. 



1419. Swans. — White shaded with black ; the legs and 
bills black ; eyes yellow ; a ball in the midst. 



1480. Turkeys. — Back, black and white mixed, shaded off 
to a white underneath ; sprinkled and shaded with black. 



LANDSCAPES IN WATER-COLORS. 

1481. Sketch the outlines faintly with a black-lead pencil. 
Then color. 



1482. Colors. — The mo^st useful are : lake, burnt ochre, 
gamboge, indigo, light red, sepia, Prussian blue, sienna, and 
burnt umber. 



LANDSCAPES IN WATER-COLOKS. 393 

1483. The gray color is made of burnt nmber, indigo, and 
lake ; each rubbed separately in a saucer, and then so mixed 
in a fourth saucer as to pi'oduce the exact color — a warm 
gray. This is thinned for the light tints, as sky and distances. 

Deeper is to be used for the shadows and near parts/soften- 
ing with water till the exact eifect is produced. 

1484. Buildings are sometimes tinted with a mixture of 
lake and gamboge. Burnt ochre is also used. The shadows 
have an excess of lake. 



1485. Breadths of Light are obtained by destroying the 
scattered lights wath grays. 



1486. Clouds are produced by a thin mixture of indigo and 
lake. They should be tinted with sepia. The lower or hori- 
zontal clonds are tin^-ed v/ith ultramarine. 



148T. Figures are touched with lake and indigo. 



1488. Force is acquired by adding sepia to indigo, in the 
cold parts, and sepia with lake to the glowing parts. 



1489. Grass is washed with a mixture of burnt sienna, in- 
digo, and gamboge ; that in shadow has more indigo. Grass 
and bushes may be brought out by a tint of gamboge ; dis- 
tances may be heightened by lake. 



1490. Hills, retiring. — Tint the whole with weak blue; 
then the nearer ones with indigo and lake ; add a little gam- 
boge to the next, keeping one subordinate to the other ; the 
most distant being lost in the aerial tints. 



1491. Land, distant. — Ultramarine and lake. Ground near 
is tinted with ochre. 

■X 

1492. Boad and Baths. — A mixture of lake, burnt umber, 
and burnt sienna. It may be tinted with ochre. 



1493. Smoke. — Lake and inditj-o. 



1494. Trees, distant. — Ultramarine, with a wash of indigo, 



.304 "MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

gamboo'e, and burnt sienna, tinted with gray. The middle 
distance trees have a thin wash of burnt sienna and gamboge. 
Nearer trees a wash of burnt sienna, indigo, and gamboge. 
In the shadows more indio-o is used. 



1495. Opposing masses of trees are tinted with sepia and 
indigo. 



1496. Windows. — Indigo and burnt umber. 



POTICHOMANIE. 

1497. This elegant accomplishment, which has become so 
extremely popular and fashionable, promises not only to super- 
cede altogether many of those meretricious accomplishments 
which have hitherto absorbed the attention of our fair country- 
women, but to rank among the fine arts. 



1498. Advantages of this Art. — It possesses many advan- 
tages : and the process is simple and easily acquired. 



1499. It is an exceedingly pleasing and interesting employ- 
ment, requiring no previous knowledge of drawing, yet afford- 
ing abundant space for the exercise of the most exquisite 
taste. 



1500. The time employed is richly repaid ; the results pro- 
duced are of actual value ; articles of ornament and domestic 
utility being produced, in perfect imitation of the mOvSt beau- 
tiful Chinese and Japanese porcelain, of Sevres and Dresden 
china, and of every form that is usual in the productions of 
the Ceramic Art. 



1501. It furnishes an inexhaustible and inexpensive source 
for the production of useful and elegant presents, which will 
be carefully preserved as tokens of friendship, and as proofs of 
the taste and talent of the giver. 



1502. Articles necessary in the Art of Potichomanie. — 
Glass vases (Potiches en verre,) of shapes suitable to the 
different orders of Chinese, Japanese, Etruscan, and French 



POTICHOMANIE. 395 

porcelain, Alutnettes, &c.; cups, plates, &c., &c., of Sevres 
and Dresden desi^^n. 



1503. Sheets of colored drawings or prints, characteristic 
representations of the designs or decorations suitable to every 
kind of porcelain and china. 



1504. A bottle of liquid gum, and three or four hog-hair 
brushes. 



1505. A bottle of varnish, and very fine pointed scissors 
for cuttino: out. 



1506. An assortment of colors for the foundation, in 
bottles. 



15 1, A packet of gold powder, and a glass vessel for 
diluting the colors. 



1508. Directions. — ^We will suppose the object selected for 
imitation to be a Chinese vase. 



1509. After providing yourself with a plain glass vase, of 
the proper shape, you take your sheets of colored prints on 
which are depicted subjects characteristic of that peculiar 
style. 



1510. From these sheets you can select a great variety of 
designs, of the most varied character, on the arrangement and 
grouping of which you can exercise your own taste. 



1511. After you have fully decided upon the arrangement 
of your drawings, cut them out accurately with a pair of scis- 
sors, then apply some liquid gum carefully over the colored 
side of the drawings, and stick them on the inside of the vase, 
according to your own previous arrangement — pressing them 
down till they adhere closely, without any bubbles of air 
appearing between the glass and the drawings. 



1512. When the drawings have had sufficient time to dry, 
take a fine brush and cover every part of them (without touch- 
ing the glass) with a coat of parchment size or liquid gum, 



396 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

which prevents the oil color (which is next applied) from sink- 
ing into or becoming absorbed by the paper. 



1513. When the interior of the vase is perfectly dry, and 
any particles of gum size that may have been left on the 
glass have been removed, your vase is ready for the final and 
most important process. 



1514. You have now to tint the whole of the vase with a 
proper color to give it the appearance of porcelain ; for up to 
this time, you will recollect, it is but a glass vase, with a few 
colored prints stuck thereon. 

1515. Select from your stock of prepared colors, in bottles, 
the tint most appropriate to the kind of china you are imitat- 
ing (as we are now supposed to be making a Chinese vase, it 
will be of a greenish hue), mix fully sufficient color in a glass 
vessel, then pour the whole into the vase. 



1516. Take now your vase in both hands, and turn it round 
continually in the same direction, until the color is equally 
spread over the whole of the interior: when this is satisfac- 
torily accomplished, pour back the remainder. If the pre- 
pared color is too thick, add a little varnish to the mixture 
before applying it. 



15 IT. If preferred, the color may be laid on with a soft 
brush. Should the vase be intended to hold water, the inte- 
rior must be well varnished after the above operations, or lined 
with zinc or tin foil. 



1518. If the Potichomanist wishes to decorate the mouth 
of his vase with a gold border, he can do so by mixing some 
gold powder in a few drops of the essence of lavender and some 
varnish, applying it on the vase with a fine brush ; or he can 
purchase gold bands, already prepared for application, in 
varied sheets, suitable to the Potichomanie designs. 



1519. Potichomanists have found the art capable of greater 
results than the mere imitation of porcelain vases, by the in- 
troduction of glass panels (previously decorated with beautiful 
flov.-ers on a white ground) into drawing-room doors, and also 



GRECIAN PAINTING. 39*1 

into walls which, being panel papered, offer opportunities of 
introducing centre pieces of the same character as the doors ; 
elegant chess and work-tables, folding and cheval-screens, 
panels for cabinets, chiffoniers and book-cases, slabs for pier 
and console-tables, glove-boxes, covers, for books, music, 
albums, &c. 



1520. The most common cause of failure is, that the draw- 
ings inside are not thoroughly pressed down. 



GRECIAI^ PARTING. 

1521. Grecian Painting is the art of imitating oil paintings. 



1522 This truly beautiful imitation, if well done, is so per- 
fect that none save connoisseurs can discern, at sight, the dif- 
ference. 



1523. Engravings best suited to this style of painting are 
mezzotint or aquatint, though fine lithographs are used. 



1524. Rule First. — Procure a frame one inch longer than 
the engraved part of the print. 



1525. Second. — Cut the engraving the size of the frame, 
then make a stiff paste, and spread it thickly on the frame. 



1520. Third. — Place the engraving face down and sponge 
it gently with water ; then press the frame firmly and eveiily 
down on ; leave it till entirely dry (not by the fire), and it 
will become even and tight. 



152Y. To make the Grecian Varnish. — Take one part 
turpentine, two parts alcohol (90 proof), three parts balsam of 
fir, and mix. 



1528. To use the Varnisli. — Pour sufficient spirits of tur- 
pentine on the back of the picture to moisten it well, then put 
on the varnish and rub it thoroughly with a stiff brush, and 
continue to apply it until the i)ictnre is perfectly transparent. 



1529. Spots. — Leave the jiicture for twonty-fonr hours, after 



398 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

which if white spots appear, showing that the varnish has not 
been effectual, repeat the process. Sometimes it has to be 
done several times. 



1530. Drying. — Place the picture, face downward, where 
it will be free from dust, and leave it three or four days. 



1531. Paints. — These are put on the back of the engrav- 
ino:. 



1532. Eyes. — For blue eyes, permanent blue and white; foi 
hazel eyes, yellow ochre and Van Dyke brown. 



1533. Flesh Tints. — Flake white, with a very little ver- 
milion and Naples yellow. 



1534. Foliages. — Chrome yellow and Prussian blue, with 
any of the browns. 



1535. Sky. — Clouds touched in with white; the rest per- 
manent blue and white. 



1536. Water. — The light parts with white, the rest the same 
as the sky. If a bright scene, and with trees, of a greenish 
brown. 



1531. Hair and Fyehrows. — Yellow ochre and Yan Dyke 
brown, or raw sienna. 



1538. Backgrounds. — The most agreeable tint is a green- 
ish brown. 



1539. White Background.^— -Yldike and silver white. 



1540. Buff Background. — Naples yellow. 



1541. Orange Background. — Chrome yellow, with ver- 
milion. 



1542. Blue Background. — Flake whit^ and Prussian blue 



1543. Gray Background.- — White, Prussian blue, and ver- 
milion. 



GRECIAN PAINTING. 399 

1544. Pink Background. — White and vermilion. 



1545. Crimson Background. — Vermilion and white, with 
carmine. 



1546. Green Background. — Chrome yellow and Prussian 
blue. 



1547. Paints for the Front of the Picture. — Drying oil 
must be used with all the colors on the front. 



1548. Shading for the Flesh on the Front. — Carmine and 
Van Dyke brown laid on lightly, and the edges touched off 
with the finger. 



1549. Cheeks. — Carmine ; soften the edges carefully. 

1550. Lips. — Carmine, with a touch of vermilion. 



1551. Hair and EyehrOws. — Yellow lake and Van Dyke 
brown. 



1552. Draperies. — These are always painted on the back, 
and shaded on the front with Van Dyke brown. 



1553. Backgrounds. — If plain, glaze with yellow lake. 



1554. Foliages. — Yellow lake and Van Dyke brown. 



1555. General Directions. — First — Lay the paint thickly 
on the back, and be careful to cover every part, but not to go 
over the edges. 



1556. Second — When the painting is finished let it dry four 
days, and then cover the front with a coat of mastic varnish. 



1551. Materials required, are a palette, palette-knife, flat 
varnish brush, three sizes of bristle brushes, three sizes of table 
brushes, drying oil, mastic varnish, spirits of turpentine, Gre- 
cian varnish. 



1558. Colors used 'dYQ oil colors in tubes. Those gener- 



400 • MRS. bale's receifts for the million. 

ally needed are silver white, Naples j^ellow, yellow ochre, bril- 
liant yellow, vermilion, Prussian blue, raw sienna, ivory black, 
carmine, yellow lake. Van Dyke brown. 



1559. If economy is an object, some of the above-men- 
tioned materials can be dispensed with 



DIAPHANIE. 

• 1560. This is a beautiful, useful, and inexpensive art, easily 
acquired, and producing imitations of the richest and rarest 
stained glass ; and also of making blinds, screens, skylights, 
Chinese lanterns, &c., in every variety of color and design. 



1561. In decorating his house, an American spends as much 
money as he can conveniently spare ; the elegancies and 
refinements of modern taste demand something mare than 
mere comfort: yet though his walls are hung with pictures, 
his drawing-room filled with bijouterie, how is it that the win- 
dows of his hall, his library, his staircase, are neglected ? 



1562. The reason is obvious. The magnificent historical 
old stained glass might be envied, but could not be brought 
within the compass of ordinary means. Recent improve- 
ments in printing in colors led the way to this beautiful inven- 
tion, by which economy is combined with the most perfect 
results. 



1563. A peculiar kind of paper is rendered perfectly trans- 
parent, upon which designs are printed in glass colors {pitro 
de couleiirs), which will not change with the light. 



1564. The paper is applied to the glass with a clear white 
varnish, and when dry, a preparation is finally applied, which 
increases the transparency, and adds tenfold brilliancy to tho 
effect. 



1565. There is another design, printed in imitation of the 
half-light (abatiour) ; this is used principally for a ground, 
covering the whole surface of the glass, within which (the 



DTAPHANIE. 401 

lieeessary spaces having been previously cut out before it is 
stuck on the glass), are placed medallion centres of Watteau 
figures, perfectly transparent, which derive increased brilliancy 
from the semi-transparency of the surrounding ground. 

1566. To ascertain the quantity of designs required, 
measure your glass carefully, and then calculate how many 
sheets it will take. The sheets are arranged so that they can 
be joined together continuously, or cut to any size or shape. 



1567. Practical Instructions.' — Choose a fine day for t])e 
operation, as the glass. should be perfectly dry and unaffected 
by the humiditj^ of the atmosphere. 



1568. Of course, if you have a choice, it is more convenient 
to work on your glass before it is fixed in the frame. If you 
?ire working on a piece of unattached glass, lay it on a flat 
table (a marble slab is preferable), over which you must pre- 
viously lay a piece of baize or cloth to keep the glass steady. 



1569. The glass being thus fixed, clean and polish the side 
on which you intend to operate (in windows this is the inner 
side), tlien with your brush lay on it very equably a good 
coat of the prepared varnish ; let this- dry for an hour, more 
or less, according to the dryness of the atmosphere and the 
thickness of the coat of varnish. 



1510. Meantime cut and trim your designs carefuly to fit 
the glass (if it is one entire transparent sheet you will find it 
little trouble) ; then lay them on a piece of paper, face down- 
wards, and damp the back of them with a sponge, applied 
several times, to equalize the moisture. 



1571. After this operation, arrange your time so that3''our 
designs may now be finally left to dry for fifteen minutes be- 
fore application to the glass, the varnish on which has now be- 
come tacky or sticky, and in a proper state to receive them. 



1572. Apply the printed side next to the glass v^itliout 
pressure ; endeavor to let your sheet fall perfectly level and 
smooth on your glass so that you may avoid leaving creases, 
which would be fatal 
26 



402 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

15^13. Take now your palette, lay it flat on the design, and 
press out all the air bubbles, commencing in the centre, and 
working them out from the sides; an ivory stick will be found 
useful in removing creases ; you now leave this to dry, and 
after twenty-four hours apply a slight coat of the liqueur dia- 
phace, leaving it another day, when if dry, apply a second 
coat of the same kind, which must be left several days : finally, 
apply a coat of varnish over all. 

15T4. If these directions are carefully followed, your glass 
will never be affected by time or by any variations in the 
weather : it will defy hail, rain, frost and dust, and can be 
washed the same as any ordinary stained glass, to which, in 
some respects, it is even superior. 



1515. It is impossible to enumerate the variety of articles 
to the manufacture of which Diaphanie may be successfully 
applied, as it is not confined to glass, but can be done on 
silk, parchment, paper, linen, &c., after they have been made 
transparent, which may be accomplished in the following 
manner: — 



15 Y 6. Stretch your paper, or whatever it may be, on a frame 
or drawing board, then apply two successive coats (a day be- 
tween each,) of diaphanous liquor, and after leaving it to dry 
for several days, cover it with a thin layer of very clear size, 
and when dry it will be in a fit state to receive the coat of var- 
nish and the desisrns. 



1511. Silk, linen, or other stuffs, should be more carefully 
stretched, and receive a thicker coat of size than paper or 
parchment ; the latter may be strained on a drawing or any 
other smooth board, by damping the sheet, and after pasting 
the edges, stretching it down while damp. Silk, linen, and 
other stuffs require to be carefully stretched on a knitting or 
other suitable frame. 



1518. Take great care to allow, whatever you use, time to 
dry before applying the liqueur diaphane. 



1519. All kinds of screens, lamp-shades, and glasses, Ian- 



FEATHER FLOWERS. 403 

terns, &c., &c., may be made in this way, as heat will produce 
no effect upon them. 

1580. The transparent pictures are successful, because tney 
may be hung on a window frame or removed at will, and the 
window blinds are far superior to any thing of that kind that 
have yet been seen. 



1581. Instead of steeping the designs in the transparent 
liquor at the time of printing them, which was previously done 
in order to show their transparency to the purchaser, but 
which was practically objectionable, as the paper in that state 
was brittle, and devoid of pliancy, necessitating also the use 
of a peculiarly difficult vehicle to manage (varnish) in apply- 
ing it to the glass, the manufacturer now prepares his paper 
differently, in order to allow the use of parchment size in 
sticking them on the glass. 



1582. The liqueur diaphane, which is finally applied, ren- 
ders them perfectly transparent. In this mode of operation, 
no delay is requisite, the designs being applied to the glass 
immediately after laying on the size, taking care to press out 
all the air bubbles, for which purpose a roller will be found 
indispensable. 



1583. The designs should be damped before the size is 
applied to them. We are of opinion that this art may be 
applied to the production of Iftagic-lantern slides, dissolving 
views, and dioramic effects ; though we are not aware whether 
such experiments have been tried. 



FEATHER FLOWERS. 

1584. The art of making feather flowers, though a very easy 
and inexpensive accomplishment, and yielding pretty orna- 
ments for the mantel-piece or the chiffonier, is but little 
pursued. 



1585. Many persons are under the impression that they 
can only be made from the feathers of exotic birds, and that 



404 MRS- bale's eecetpts for the milliox. 

these are expensive. But the following instructions will clis-« 
pel this misconception, and remove the difficulty. 

1586. Procure the best white geese or swans' feathers, have 
them plucked off the fowl with care not to break the web, free 
them from down, except a small quantity on the shaft of the 
feather. 



1581. Having procured two good specimens of the flower 
you wish to imitate, carefully pull oCf the petals of one, and, 
with a piece of tissue paper, cut out the shape of each size, 
taking care to leave the shaft of the feather at least half an 
inch longer than the petal of the flovser. 



1588. .Carefully bend the feather with the thumb and finger 
to the proper shape; mind not to break the web. 



1589. To make the Stem and Heart of a Floicer. — Take 
a piece of wire six inches long : across the top lay a small 
piece of cotton wool, turn the wir6 over it, and wind it round 
until it is the size of the lieart or centre of the flower you aro 
GCoino; to imitate. 



1590. If a single flower, cover it with paste or velvet of the 
proper color, and round it must be arranged the stamens; 
these are made of fine India silk, or feathers may be used for 
this purpose. 



1591. After the petals have been attached, the silk or fea- 
ther is dipped into gum, and then into the farina. Place the 
petals round, one at a time, and wind them on with Moravian 
cotton, jSiO. 4 ; arrange them as nearly like the flower you 
have for a copy as possible. 



1592. Cut the stems of the feathers even, and then make the 
calix of feathers, cut like the ])attern or natural flower. For 
the small flowers, the calix is made with paste. Cover the 
stems with paper or silk the same as the flowers ; the paper 
must be cut in narrow strips, about a quarter of an inch wide. 



1593. To make the Pastes of the Calix, Hearts, and Buds 
of Floxcers. — Take common white starch, and mix it with gum 



FEATHER FLOWERS. 405 

water until it is the substance of thick treacle ; color it with 
the dyes used for the feathers, and keep it from the air. 

1594. To make the Farina.- — Use common p^round rice, 
mixed into a stiff paste with any dye ; dry it before the fire, 
and when quite hard) pound it to a fine powder* 

1595. The buds, berries, and hearts of some double flowers 
are made with cotton wool, wound around wire, moulded to 
the shape with thumb and finger. 



1596. Smooth it over with gum water, ♦nd when dry cover 
the buds, berries, or calix with the proper colored pastes ; 
they will require one or two coats, and may be shaded with a 
little paint, and then gummed and left to dry. 



1597. Flowers of two or more shades or colors are varie- 
gated with water-colors, mixed with lemon-juice, ultra-marine 
and chrome for blue, and gold may also be used in powder, 
mixed with lemon-juice and gum water. 



1598. The materials required are some good white goose 
or swan's feathers ; a little fine wire, diflferent sizes ; a few 
skeins of fine floss silk, some good cotton wool or wadding, a 
reel of No. 4 Moravian cotton, a skein of India silk, the starch 
and gum for pastes, and a pair of small sharp scissors, a few 
sheets of colored silk paper, and some water-colors, with the 
following dyes : — 



1599. To Dye Feathers Blue. — Into two pennyworths of 
oil of vitriol, mix two pennyworths of the best indigo in pow- 
der ; let it stand a day or two ; when wanted shake it well, 
and into a quart of boiling water put one tablespoonful of the 
liquid. 



1600. Stir it well, put the feathers in, and let them simmer 
a few minutes. 



1601. Yellow. — Put a tablespoonful of the best turmeric into 
a quart of boiling water ; when well mixed, put in the feathers. 



1602. More or less of the turmeric will give them different 



406 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

shades, and a very small quantity of soda will give then:i an 
orange hue. 



1603. Green. — Mix the indigo liquor With turmeric, and 
pour boiling water over it ; let the feathers simmer in the dye 
until they have acquired the shade you want them. (See 

289.) 



1604. Pii^k. — Three good pink saucers in a quart of boil- 
ing water, with a small quantity of cream of tartar. If a deep 
color is required, use four saucers. Let the feathers remain 
in the dye several -fcours. 



1605. Bed. — Into a quart of boiling water dissolve a tea- 
spoonful of cream of tartar, put in one tablespoonfnl of pre- 
pared cochineal, and then a few drops of muriate of tin. 



1606. This dye is expensive, and scarlet flowers are best 
made with the plumage of the red Ibis, which cau generally be 
had of a bird-fancier or bird-stufifer, who will give directions 
how it may be applied. 

1601. Lilac. — About two teaspoonfuls of cudbear, into 
about a quart of boiling water; let it siir.mer a few minutes 
before you put in the feathers. A small quantity of cream of 
tartar turns the color from lilac to amethyst. 



1608. Black. — Use the same as for cloth. 



1609. Crimson. — Dip in acetate of alumina mordant, then 
in a boiling-hot decoction of Brazil wood — and, last of all, 
pass through a bath of cudbear. 



1610. Before the feathers are dyed they must be put into 
hot water, and let them drain before they are put into the 
dyes. 



1611. After the feathers are taken out of the dye, rinse 
them two or three times in clear cold water (except the red), 
which must only be done once. Then lay them on a tray, 
over which a cloth has been spread, before a good fire ; when 



SEA-WEED. 40'[ 

they begin to dry and unfold, draw each feather gently be- 
tween your thumb and finger, until it regains its proper shape. 

1612. The leaves of the flowers are made of green feathers, 
cut like those of the natural flower, and serrated at the edge 
with a very small pair of scissors. 



1613. For the calix of a moss-rose the down is left on the 
feather, and is a very good representation of the moss on the 
natural flower. 



1614. To Preserve Sea-Weed. — This is a delicate process, 
and may be made like beautiful pictures. 



1615. First Process. — Wash the sea* weed in fresh water, 
then take a plate or dish (the larger the better), cut your 
paper to the size required, place it on the plate with fresh 
water, and spread out the plant with a good sized camel-hair 
pencil in a natural form. Picking out with the pin gives the 
sea-weed an unnatural appearance, and destroys the charac- 
teristic fall of the branches, which should be carefully avoided. 



1616. Then gently raise the paper with the specimen out 
of the water, placing it in a slanting position for a few mo- 
ments, so as to allow the superabundant water to run off: after 
which place it in the press. 

1617. The Press. — The press is made with either three 
pieces of board or pasteboard. Lay on the first board two 
sheets of blotting-paper ; on that lay your specimens ; place 
straight and smooth over them a piece of old muslin, fine cam- 
bric, or linen : then some more blotting-paper, and place an- 
other board on the top of that, and continue in the same 
way. 



1618. The Finishing. — The blotting-paper and the muslin 
should be carefully removed and dried every day, and then 
replaced: at the same time, those specimens that are suffi- 
ciently dried may be taken away. Nothing now remains but 
to write on each the name, date, and locality. 



1619. The Sj^ecimens. — You can either gum the spccuncns 



408 MES. Hale's receipts fop. the milliox. 

in a scrap-book, or fix them in, as drawings are often fastened, 
bv making four slits in the page, and inserting each corner. 

1620. This is by far the best plan, as it admits of their re- 
moval, without injury to the page, at any future period, if it 
be required either to insert better specimens, or intermediate 
species. Some of the larger Alg* will not adhere to the 
paper, and consequently require gumming. 



1621. Another Way. — After w^ell cleaning and pressing, 
brush the coarser kinds of Algse over with spirits of turpen- 
tine, in which two or three small lumps of gum mastic liave 
been dissolved, by shaking in a warm place ; two-thirds of a 
smalt phial is the groper proportion, and this will make the 
specimens retain a fresh appearance. 



BOTAXICAL SPECIMENS, LEAF IMPRESSIONS, 

ETC. 

1622. The plants you wish to preserve should be gathered 
when the weather is dry, and after placing the ends in water, 
them remain in a cool place till the next day. 



1623. When about to be submitted to the process of dry- 
ing, place each plant between several sheets of blotting-paper, 
and iron it with a large smooth heater, pretty strongly 
warmed, till all the moisture is dissipated. 



1624. Colors may thus be fixed, which otherwise become 
pale, or nearly white. 



1625. Some plants require more moderate heat than others, 
and herein consists the nicety of the experiment; but I have 
generally found, that if the iron be not too hot, and is passed 
rapidly^ vet carefully, over the surface of the blotting-paper, 
it answers the purpose equally well with plants of almost every 
Yarietv of hue and thickness. 



1626. In compound flowers, with those also of a stubborn 
and solid form as the Centaurea, some little art is required iu 



PEESEKVATIOX OF BOTANICAL SPKCIMENS. 409 

cutting away the under part, by which means the profile and 
forms of the flowers will be more distinctly exhibited. 



1G27. This is especially necessary, when the method em- 
ployed by Major Yelley is adopted : viz., to fix the flowers 
and fructificatiun down with gain upon the paper previous to 
ironing, by which means they become almost incorporated 
with the surface. 



1628. When this very delicate process is attempted, blot- 
ting-paper should be laid under every part excepting the blos- 
soms, in order to prevent staining the white paper. Great 
care must be taken to keep preserved specimens in a dry 
place. 



1629. Skeleton leaves may be made by steeping leaves in 
rain water, in an open vessel, exposed to the air and sun. 
Water must occasionally be added to compensate loss by 
evaporation. 



1630. The leaves will putrefy, and then their membranes 
will begin to open ; then lay them on a clean white plate, 
filled with clean water, and with gentle touches take off the 
external membranes, separating them cautiously near the 
middle rib. When there is an opening toward the latter the 
whole membrane separates easily. 



1631. The process requires a great deal of patience, as 
ample time must be given for the vegetable tissues to decay, 
and separate. 

1632. A more Expeditious Method. — A tublespoonful of 
chlorid of lime in a liquid state, mixed with a quart of pure 
spring water. 



1633. Leaves or seed-vessels of plants to be soaked in the 
mixture for about four hours, then taken out and well washed 
in a jarge basin filled with water, after wliich they should be 
left to dry with free exposure to light and air. 



• 1634. Some of the largest species of forest leaves, or such 
as have strong ribs, will require to be hjft rather more than 
four hours in the liquid. 



410 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

1635. Dwarf Plants. — Take a cutting of the plant you wish 
to dwarf, say a myrtle, for instance, and having set it in a 
pot, wait until you are satisfied that it has taken root ; then 
take a cutting from it, and place it in a miniature flower-pot, 
taking care to fill it more than three parts with fine sand, the 
remainder with mould. 



1636. Put it under a glass on the chimney-piece, or in any 
warm place, and give it very small quantities of water. 



1637. Preserve i^'^wn^^.— Receipt of the celebrated botanist, 
William Withering, Esq., by which specimens of fungi may be 
beautifully preserved. 



1638. Take two ounces of sulphate of copper, or blue vit- 
riol, and reduce it to powder, and pour upon it a pint of boil- 
ing water, and when cold, add half a pint of spirits of wine ; 
cork it well, and call it 'Hhe pickle.'' 



1639. To eight pints of water add one pint and- a-half of 
spirits of wine, and call it ^' the liquor." 

1640. Be provided with a a number of wide-mouthed bottles 
of different sizes, all well fitted with corks. The fungi should 
be left on the table as long as possible to allow the moisture 
to evaporate. 



1641. They should then be placed in the pickle for three 
hours, or longer, if necessary ; then place them in the bottles 
intended* for their reception, and fill with the liquor. 



1642. They should then be well corked an^ sealed, and 
arranged in order with their names in front of the bottles. 



1643. Leaf Impressions. — Hold oiled paper in the smoke 
of a lamp, or of pitch, until it becomes coated with the smoke ; 
to this paper apply the leaf of which you wish an impression, 
having previously warmed it between your hands, that it may 
be pliable. 



1644. Place the lower surface of the leaf upon the blackened 
surface of the oil paper, that the numerous veins that are so 



PRESERVATION OF BOTANICAL SPECIMEN ST 411 

prominent on this side may receive from the paper a portion 
of the smoke. 



1645. Lay a paper over the leaf, and then press it gently 
upon the smoked paper, with the fingers, or with a small roller, 
(covered with woolen cloth, or some like soft material), so that 
every part of the leaf may come in contact with the sooted oil- 
paper. 



1646. A coatin«: of the smoke will adhere to the leaf. 



1647. Then remove the leaf barefully, and place the black- 
ened surface on a sheet of white paper, not ruled, or in a book 
prepared for the purpose,, covering the leaf with a clean slip 
of paper, and pressing upon it with the fingers, or roller, as 
bqfore. 



1648. Thus may be obtained the impression of a leaf, show- 
ing the perfect outlines, together with an accurate exhibition 
of the veins which extend in every direction through it, more 
correctly than the finest drawing. 



1649. This process is so simple, and the material so easily 
obtained, that any person, with a little practice to enable hito 
to apply the right quantity of smoke to the oil-paper, and give 
the leaf a proper pressure, can prepare beautiful leaf impres- 
sions, such as a naturalist would be proud to possess. 



1650. There is another, and we think, a better method of 
taking leaf impressions than the preceding one. 



1651. Leaf Impressions in Ink. — After warming the leaf 
between the hands, apply printing ink, by means of a small 
leather ball containing cotton, or some soft substance, or with 
the end of the fin«:er. 



"o"- 



1652. The leather ball (and the finger when used for that 
purpose), after the ink is applied to it, should be pressed sev- 
eral times on a piece of leather, or some smooth surface, before 
each application to the leaf, that the ink may be smootlily and 
evenly applied. 



412 MRS. SALENS RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

1653. After the under surface of the leaf has been sufBciently 
inked, apply it to the paper, where you wish the impression ; 
and after covering it with a slip of paper, use the hand or 
roller to press upon it, as described in the former process. 
(See ni, page 176.) 



1654. Impressions from Coins. — Melt a little isinglass glue 
with brandy, and pour it thinly over the medal, &c., so as to 
cover its whole surface; let it remain on for a day or two, till 
it has thoroughly dried and hardened, and then take it oil', 
when it will be fine, clear, and as hard as a piece of Muscovy 
glass, and will have a very elegant impression of the coin. It 
will also resist the effects of damp air, which occasions all 
other kinds of glue to soften and bend; if not prepared in this 
way. 



TRANSFERHING TO GLASS, WOOD, Etc. 

1655. The process of transferring consists in causing the ink 
of a print, engraving, mezzotint, or lithograph, to adhere to the 
surface of glass, wood, cardboard, ivory, or earthenware, which 
is effected by cementing the face of the prints to their surface 
by means of some varnish or glutinous transparent body that 
will not dissolve in water, and then destroying the texture of 
the paper, so as to leave the ink upon the varnish and material 
operated on, in the same manner as if the original impression 
had been there, but of course reversed. 



1656. Materials. — The body to which the print is to be 
transferred. '^ 



165Y. Spirits and oil of turpentine; oil and varnish colors; 
seed-lac, white and transfer varnishes ; oil of almonds ; spirit 
of wine ; a flat and a round brush, and a towel 



The Varnishes. — The seed-lac and white varnishes. 



1658. The Transfer Varnish. — Take five ounces of the 
best spirit of wine, add four ounces of the purified Venice 
turpentine to it, and an ounce of picked mastic tears ; put 
them into a bottle, shake constantly until the mastic and tur- 
pentine dissolve, and in a few hours it will be fit for use, 
but improves by keeping. 



TRANSFERRING TO GLASS, WOOD, ETC. 413 

1659. To Transfer to Glass. — Procure a piece of the best 
crown-glass, as near as possible in size and shape to the print 
to be transferred, varnish it over with a mixture of equal parts 
of spirits and oil of turpentine, and lay the print on the glass, 
beginning at one end, and pressing it gently down with a 
towel in every part in proceeding to the other. 



1660. If this is not done carefully, vesicles of air will be 
admitted between the paper and glass, and mar the effect. 
After pressing the print down with the towel, it is to be set 
aside to dry, which will take some time, varying according to 
the state of the atmosphere. 



1661. When the turpentine has become perfectly hard, the 
paper must be moistened with water till it is thoroughly satu- 
rated, and the paper entirely removed by rubUing very gently 
with the forefinger in a circular direction, and then set aside 
to dry, when the impression will be found perfectly transferred, 
but reversed. 



1662. If it is wished to preserve only the appearance of an 
engraving, a sheet of white paper or Bristol-board must be 
placed behind the glass; but if required to be colored, the 
operation must be completed with oil or varnish colors, in such 
a manner as may impart to it the semblance of a painting. 



1663. To Transfer to Wood. — Procure a piece of wood of 
the required form and size ; if flat, it should be newly planed, 
and rubbed down with pumice-stone and fine sand-paper to 
make it perfectly smooth and free* from grease ; if rounded oi 
any other shape, it should be scraped with a piece of glass, 
then pumiced and sand-papered. 



1664. Give the wood a coat of transfer varnish previous to 
transferring, and set aside for tvventy-four. hours to dry. 



1665. This promotes adhesion of the print to the wood, and 
secures the latter from bein": soiled. 



1666. Cut off the white margin of the print, then damp it 
by placing it face upward on the surface of some water in o 
shallow vessel, taking care to keep the face or printed side 



414 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

dry ; when properly soaked, pass a spong:e over the back, 
spread a coat of varnish over the whole of the face, and apply 
immediately to the wood. 



1667. Rub down the whole gently with a towel, in the same 
manner as directed for glass, so that it may adhere properly. 
When this has been done, and while the back is yet moist, nib 
it carefully with the forefinger until half the thickness of the 
paper is removed, then leave it to dry. 



1668. Then wet the finger only, and keep rubbing until the 
remainder of the paper is removed, and there is a thin white 
film over all, allowing the print to appear clean through ; then 
let it dry, and bring out with a little oil of almonds ; ufter 
which apply a coat of carriage- varnish, or the seed-lac and 
animi varnish used for white japan grounds, though we prefer 
the transfer-varnish ourselves. 



1669. Great care and patience must be exercised during the 
process of rubbing off, to avoid scratching or tearing the 
print ; if, however, any part is destroyed, it must be repaired 
with the same color. 



1670. In this manner plain or colored prints may be trans- 
ferred from paper to wood. 



16^71. When colored prints are transferred, they should be 
laid on vinegar and water (two-thirds of the former and one 
of the latter), to destroy thQ size which is in the paper, and 
remain twice as long as plain prints ; then removed and placed 
between blotting-paper, and when the superfluous moisture 
has been removed, treate.d the same as the other prints. 



1612. To Clean the Brushes and your hands after using the 
varnishes, rub with spirit of wine. 



1613. To Transfer to Ivory, — Rub well with pumice-stone, 
and then transfer in the same manner as directed above. 



1674. To Transfer to Card-hoard. — Remove the sizing on 
the surface by immersing in the vinegar and water mentioned 
above, then transfer as usual. 



EMBLEMATIC STONES. 4l5 

1675. To Transfer to Earthenware. — ixive the article a thin 
coating of varnish, then transfer as directed above. 



16Y6. Etching on Glass. — Mix in a gallipot a little sul- 
phuric acid and lampblack to a thin smooth paste, and spread 
a layer of it on a piece of glass ; upon which trace with a 
sharp-pointed instrument, (penetrating to the glass,) any de- 
sign which may suggest itself. 

1671. Then dissolve a little fluor-spar, coarsely powdered, 
in spirit of turpentine, and with a camePs-hair brush lay some 
of the solution upon the parts so traced ; let it remain an hour 
or two ; and you will find, on scraping off the paste, that the 
glass will be etched with whatever forms you have traced. 



1678. Very pleasing drawings may thus be etched upon 
glass ; and they may be rendered more effective by dusting the 
outline with a little vermilion. 



EMBLEMATIC STONES. 

1679. The Jeivels of the Months. — In Poland, according 
to a superstitious belief, each month of the year is under the 
influence of some precious stone, which influence is attached 
to the destiny of persons born during the course of the month. 



1680. It is, in consequence, customary amongst friends, and 
more particularly between lovers, to make, on birthdays, re- 
ciprocal presents, consisting of some jewel ornamented with 
the tutelar stone. It is generally believed that this prediction 
of happiness, or rather of the future destiny, will be realized 
according to the wishes expressed on the occasion. 



1681. January. — The stone of January is the Jacinth, or 
Garnet, which denotes constancy and fidelity in any sort of 
engagement. 



1682. February. — The Amethyst, a preservative against vi- 
olent passions, and an assurance of peace of mind and sincerity. 



1683. March. — The Bloodstone is the stone of courage and 
wisdom in perilous undertakings, and firmness in aflection. 



416 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

1684. ApinL— The Sapphire, or Diamond, is the stone of 
repentance, innocence, and kindliness of disposition. 



1685. May. — The Emerald. This stone signifies happiness 
in love, and domestic felicitv. 



1686. June. — The Agate is the stone of long life, health, 
and prosperity. 



168Y. July. — The Ruby, or Cornelian, denotes forgetf illness 
of, and exemption from, the vexations caused by friendship and 
love. 



1688. August.— The Sardonyx. This stone denotes conju- 
gal felicity. 



1689. Sepiemher. — The Chrysolite is the stone which pre- 
serves and cures madness and despair. 



1690. October. — The Aqua- Marine, or Opal, signifies dis- 
tress and hope. 



1691. November. — The Topaz signifies fidelity and friendshp. 



1692. December. — The Turquoise is the stone which ex- 
presses great sureness and prosperity in love, and in all the 
circumstances of life. 



STAIXING. 

1693. General Observations. — \^ hen alabaster, marble, vmA 
other stones, are colored, and the stain is required to be deep, 
it should be poured on boiling-hot, and brushed equally over 
every part if made with water ; if with spirit, it should be ap- 
plied cold, otherwise the evaporation, being too rapid, would 
leave the coloring matter on the surface, without any, or very 
little, being able to penetrate. 



1694. In grayish or brownish stones, the stain will be want- 
ing in brightness, because the natural color combines with the 
stain ; therefore, if the stone be- of a pure color, the result will 
be a combination of the color and stain. 



STAININGK 417 

1695. Bone or Ivory. — In staining bone or ivory, the colors 
will take better before than after polishing ; and if any dark 
spots appear, they should be rubbed with chalk, an^ the article 
dyed again to produce uniformity of shade. On removal from 
the boiling-hot dye-bath, the bone should be immediately 
plunged into cold water, to prevent cracks from the heat. 

1696. Paper or Parchment is stained ; a broad varnish brush 
should be employed to lay the coloring^.on evenly. 

169t. Wood. — When the stains for wood are required to be 
very strong, it is better to soak and not brush them ; therefore 
if for inlaying or fine work, the wood should be previously 
split or sawn into proper thicknesses, and when directed to be 
brushed several times over with the stains, it should be allowed 
to dry between each coating. 



* 1698. To Varnish. — When it is wished to render any of the 
stains more durable and beautiful, the work should be well 
rubbed with Dutch or common rushes after it is colored, and 
then varnished with seed-lac varnish, or if a better appearance 
is desired, with three coats of the same, or shellac varnish. 



1699. Common Work only requires frequent rubbing with 
linseed oil and woolen rags. The remainder, with the excep- 
tion of glass, will be treated of in this paper. 

IT 00. Alabaster, Marble and Stone, may be stained of a 
yellow, red, green, blue, purple, black, or any of the compound 
colors, by the stains used for wood. 



1701. Bone and Ivory. — Black. — Lay the articles for several 
hours in a strong solution of nitrate of silver, and expose to 
the light. 



1102. Boil the article for some time in a strained decoction 
of logwood, and then steep it in a solution of per-sulphate or 
acetate of iron. 



1703. Immerse frequently in ink, until of sufficient depth 
of color. 

27 



418 MEs. bale's eeceipts for the million. 

n04. Blue. •'-'I. Imraerse for some time in a dilute solution 
of sulphate of indigo — partij saturated with potash — and it 
will be fully stained. 2. Steep in a strong solution of sulphate 
of copper. 



1705. Green. — 1. Dip blue-stained articles for a short time 
in nitro-hjdrochlorate of tin, and then. in a hot decoction of 
fustic. 2. Boil in a solution of rerdigris in vinegar until the 
desired color is obtained. 



1T06. Bed. — Dip the articles first in the tin mordant used 
in dyeing, and then plunge into a hot decoction of Brazil 
wood — half a pound to a gallon of water — or cochineal. 

lYOY. Steep in red ink until sufiQciently stained. 

1708. Scarlet. — Use lac-dye instead of the preceding. 



1709. Violet. — Dip*in the tin mordant, and then immerse 
in a decoction of logwood. 



1710. Yellow. — Impregnate with nitro-hydrochlorate of tin, 
and then digest with heat in a strained decoction of fustic. 



1711. Second. — Steep for twenty-four hours in a strong so- 
lution of the neutral chromate of potash, and then plunge for 
some time in a boiling solution of acetate of lead. 



1712. Third. — Boil. the articles in a solution of alum — a 
pound to half a gallon — and then immerse for half an hour in 
the following mixture. 



1713. Take half a pound of turmeric, and a quarter of a 
pound of pearlash ; boil in a gallon of water. When taken 
from this, the bone must be again dipped in the alum solution. 

1714. Horn must be treated in the same manner as bone 
and ivory for the various colors given under that heading. 



1715. In Imitation of Tortoise- Shell. — First steam and then 
press the horn into proper shapes, and afterward lay the fol- 
lowing mixture on with a small brush, in imitation of the 
mottle of tortoise-shell. 



STAININa. 419 

IT 16. Second. — Take equal parts of quick lime and litharge, 
and mix with strong soap-lees ; let this remain until it is 
thoroughly dry, brush off, and repeat two or three times, if 
necessary. 



ITH. Such parts as are required to be of a reddish brown, 
should be covered with a mixture of whiting and the stain. 



1718. Iron. — Black, for Ship^s Guns, Shot, etc. — To one 
gallon of vinegar add a quarter of a pound of iron-rust, let it 
stand for a week; then add a pound of dry lamp-black, and 
three-quarters of a pound of copperas ; stir it up for a couple 
of days. 

1119. Lay five or six coats on the gun, &c., with a sponge, 
allowing it to dry well between each. Polish with linseed oil 
and soft woolen rag, and it will look like ebony. 

1120. Paper and Parchment. — Blue, — Stain it green with 
the verdigris stain given below, and brush over with a solution 
of pearlash — two ounces to the pint — till it becomes blue. 



1121. Use the blue stain for wood. 



. 1122. Green and Bed. — The same as for wood. (See 111, 
page 118.) 



1123. Orange. — Brush over with a tincture of turmeric, 
formed by infusing an ounce of the root in a pint of spirits of 
wine ; let this dry, and give another coat of pearlash solu- 
tion, made by dissolving two ounces of the salt in a quart of 
water. 



1124. Purple. — Brush over with the expressed juice of 
ripe privet berries. The same as for wood. 



1125. Yellow. — Brush over with tincture of turmeric 



1126. Add anatto or dragon^s blood to the tincture of tur- 
meric, and brush over as usual. (See 116, page 118.) 



1121. Wood. — Black, — Drop a little sulphuric acid into 



420 MRS. HALES EEOEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

a small quantity of water, brush over the wood and hold it to 
the fire ; it will be a fine black, and receive a good polish. 



1728. Second. — Take half a gallon of vinegar, an ounce of 
bruised nut-galls, of logwood chips and copperas each half a 
pound — boil well ; add half an ounce of the tincture of sesqui- 
ehlorid of iron, formerly called the muriated tincture, and 
brush on hot. 



1729. Third, — Use the stain given for ships' guns. 



1730. 'Fourth. — Take half a gallon of vinegar, half a pound 
of dry lamp-black, and three pounds of iron rust sifted. Mix, 
and let stand for a week. Lay three coats of this on hot, and 
then rub with linseed oil, and you will have a fine deep black. 



1731. Fifth. — Add to the above stain an ounce of nut-galls, 
half a pound of logwood chips, and a quarter of a pound of 
copperas ; lay on three coats, oil v/ell, and you will have a 
black stain that will stand any kind of weather, and one that 
is well suited for ships' combings, &c. 



1732. Sixth, — Take a pound of logwood chips, a quarter of 
a pound of Brazil wood, and boil for an hour and a half in a 
gallon of water. Brush the wood several times with this de- 
coction while hot. Make a decoction of nut-galls by simmer- 
ing gently for three or four days a quarter of a pound of the 
galls in two quarts of water ; give the wood three coats of this, 
and while wet lay on a solution of sulphate of iron (two ounces 
to a quart), and when dry oil or varnish. 



1733. Seventh.-^GiYQ three coats with a solution of copper 
filings in aquafortis, and repeatedly brush over with the log- 
wood decoction, until the greenness of the copper is destroyed. 



1734. Eighth.' — Boil half a pound of logwood chips in two 
quarts of water, add an ounce of pearlash, and apply hot with 
a brush. Then take two quarts of the logwood decoction, and 
half an ounce of verdigris, and the same of copperas ; strain 
and throw in half a pound of iron rust. Brush the work well 
with this, and oil. 



STAINING. 421 

1735. Blue. — Dissolve copper filings in aquafortis, brush 
tlie wood with it, and then go over the work with a hot solu- 
tion of pearlash (two ounces to a pint of water), till it assumes 
a perfectly blue color. 



1Y36. Boil a pound of indigo, two pounds of woad, and 
three ounces of alum in a gallon of water ; brush well over 
until thoroughl}^ stained. 



1T3Y. Green. — Dissolve verdigris in vinegar, and brush 
over with the hot solution until of a proper color. 



It38. Mahogany Color. — Dark. — 1. Boil half a pound of 
madder and two ounces of logwood chips in a gallon of water, 
and brush well over while hot ; when dry, go over the whole 
with pearlash solution, two drachms to the quart. 



1739. Second. — -Put two ounces of dragon's blood, bruised, 
into a quart of oil of turpentine ; let the bottle stand in a 
warm place, shake frequently, and, when dissolved, steep the 
work in the mixture. 



1740. Light Bed Brown. — Boil half a pound of madder and 
a quarter of a pound of fustic in a gallon of water ; brush over 
the work when boiling-hot, until properly stained. 



1741. Second. — The surface of the work being quite smooth, 
brush over with a weak solution of aquafortis, half an ounce 
to the pint, and then finish with the following: — Put four 
ounces and a half of dragon's blood and an ounce of soda, both 
well bruised, to three pints of spirit of wine ; let it stand in a 
warm place, shake frequently, strain, and lay it on with a soft 
brush, repeating until of a proper color ; polish with linseed 
oil or varnish. 



1742. Purple. — Brush the work several times with the log- 
wood decoction used for No. 6 Black, and when dry give a 
coat of pearlash solution, one drachm to a quart, taking care 
to lay it on evenly. 



1743, Bed. — 1. Boil a poujiid of Brazil wood and an ounce 
of pearlash in a gallon of water, and while hot brush over the 



422 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

work until of a proper color. Dissolve two ounces of alum in 
a quart of water, and brush the solution over the work before 
it dries. 



1T44. Second, — Take a gallon of the above stain, add two 
more ounces of pearlash ; use hot, and brush often with the 
alum solution. 



1145. Third. — Use a cold infusion of archil, and brush 
over with the pearlash solution used for No. 1 dark maho- 
gany. 



1746. In imitation of Rosewood. — 1. Boil half a pound of 
logwood in three pints of water till it is of a very dark red, 
add half an ounce of salt of tartar ; stain the work with the 
liquor while boiling hot, giving three coats ; then with a pain- 
ter's graining-brush form streaks with No. 8 black stain; let 
dry, and varnish. 



1147. Second. — Brush over with the logwood decoction 
used for No. 6 black, three or four times ; put half a pound 
of iron filings into two quarts of vinegar ; then with a graining- 
brush or cane, bruised at the end, apply the iron filing solu- 
tion in the form required, and polish with beeswax and tur- 
pentine when dry, or varnish. 



ORNAMENTED LEATHER WORK. 

1748. An excellent imitation of carved oak, suitable for 
frames, boxes, vases, and ornaments in endless variety, may be 
made of a description of leather called Basil. 



1749. The art consists in simply cutting out this* material 
in imitation of natural objects, and in impressing upon it by 
simple tools, either with or without the aid of heat, such marks 
and characteristics as are necessary to the imitation. 



1750. The rules given with regard to the imitation of leaves 
and flowers (1887) apply to Oriiameutal Leather Work, 



DYEING. 423 

1751. Begin with a simple object, and proceed by degrees 
to those that are more complicated. 



1752. The tools required are ivory or steel points of various 
sizes, punches, and tin shapes, "isuch as are used for confec- 
tionary. The points may be made out of the handles of old 
tooth-brushes. 



1753. Before cutting out the leaves, the leather should be 
well soaked in water, until it is quite pliable. When dry, it 
will retain the artistic shape. 



1754. Cut out an ivy or an oak leaf, and impress the veins 
upon it ; then arrange these in groups, and afl&x them to frames, 
or otherwise. 



1755. Leaves and stems are fastened together by means of 
liquid glue, and varnished with any of the drying varnishes, or 
with sealing-wax dissolved to a suitable consistency in spirits 
of wine. 



1756. Wire, cork, gutta-percha, bits or stems of trees, &c., 
may severally be used to aid in the formation of groups of 
buds, flowers, seed-vessels, &c. 



DYEING. 
(see pages 74, 75, 76.) 

1757. T>ye Hair and Feathers Green, — Take of verdigris 
or verditer, of each one ounce: gum water,'one pint; mix 
them well,, and dip the hair or feathers into the mixture, shak- 
ing them well about. 



1759. Cleansing Feathers of their Animal Oil. — The follow- 
ing receipt gained a premium from the Society of Arts : 



1760. Take for every gallon of clean water one pound of 
quicklime, mix them well together, and when the undissolved 
lime is precipitated in tine powder, pour off the clean lime- 
water for use. 



424 MES. hale's receipts for the million. 

1161. Put the feathers to be cleaned in another tub, and 
add to them a quantity of the clean lime-water, sufficient to 
cover them about three inches, when well immersed and stirred 
about therein. 



It 62. The feathers, when thoroughly moistened, will sink 
down, and should remain in the lime-water three or four days ; 
after which the foul liquor should be separated from them, by 
laying them in a sieve. 



' 1163. The feathers should be afterward well washed in 
clean water, and dried upon nets, the meshes of which may be 
about the fineness of cabbage-nets. 



1164. The feathers must be, from time to time, shaken on 
the nets, and as they get dry will fall through the meshes, and 
are to be collected for use. The admission of air will be ser- 
viceable in drying. 



1765. The process will be completed in three weeks ; and 
after being thus prepared, the feathers will only require to be 
beaten to get rid of the dust. 

1166. Dyeing Eggs, — Wrap the Qgg in crimson silk ribbon 
(taking care that no part is uncovered), tack it oh and boil it 
five minutes, and when it is divested of j^he ribbon the shell 
will be of a pretty mottled red ; any colored ribbon ^oay be 
used with a very pretty effect. 



1161. Crystallization upon Cinders. — Saturate water, kept 
boiling, with alum ; then set the solution in a cool place, sus- 
pending a cinder in it, by a hair or fine silk thread ; as the 
solution cools, a beautiful crystallization will take placS upon the 
cinder, which will resemble a specimen of mineralogical spar. 



1168. Staining Grasses and Mosses. — Take some common 
powder-blue, mix with water, rather thin ; take dry moss and 
dip it in, and let it soak a few minutes, take out and squeeze 
it — you will have a blue moss. Take light chrome yellow (as 
there are two sorts), mix with water, as before : with the same 
process you will have a yellow moss. Take some of the blue 
and some of the yellow, mix with water, as before, and you will 



LAWS OF CHESS. 425 

have a green moss. You may have a variety of shades by 
adding or diminishing the yellow. 



THE GAME OF DRAUGHTS. 

1769. Eules of the Game. — The nine laws for regulating 
tho game of draughts 'are as follows. 

IttO. Each player takes the first move alternately, whether 
the last game be won or drawn. 

ITtl. Any action which prevents the adversary from having 
a full view of the men is not allowed. . 



11'72. The player who touches a man must play him. 

ItTS. In case of standing the huff ten minutes, the other 
may call upon him to play; and if, after thaJ, he delay above 
five minutes longer, then he loses the game. 

ITTS. In the losing game, the player can insist upon his ad- 
versary taking all the men, in case opportunities should present 
themselves for their being so taken. 

1 iftG. To prevent unnecessary delay, if one color have no 
pieces, but two kings on the board, and the other no piece but 
cue king; the latter can call upon the former to win the game 
in twenty moves ; if he does not finish it within that number 
of moves, the game to be relinquished as drawn. 

ItTT. If there are three kings to two on the board, the sub- 
sequent moves are not to exceed forty. 



LAWS OF CHESS. 

IttS. The rules given below ar& based upon the code pub- 
lished in ^^Walker^s Art of Chess Play.^^ The word piece 
frequently includes the pawn. 

1119. If the board or pieces be improperly placed, or are 
deficient in number (except in the case of odds), the game 



426 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

must be recommenced, if the error is discovered before the 
fourth move on each side (the eighth move of the game.) If 
not discovered before this stage, the game must proceed. 

1780. If the player gives odds, and yet omits to remove the 
odds from the board at the commencement, he may recom- 
mence the game, and remove the odds given, provided he dis- 
cover his error before playing his fourth move. 



1181. But if he has made his fourth move, the game must 
be played out; and should the player who agreed to give the 
odds win the game, it shall nevertheless be considered drawn. 



1182. When parties play even, they draw lots for the first 
move of the first game. The first move is afterward taken al- 
ternately throughout the sitting, except when a game is drawn, 
when he who had the first move in that game still claims it, a 
drawn game being of no account. 

1183. He who gains the move has also the choice of color. 
Each player uses the same color throughout the sitting. When 
a match is. made for a given number of games, the move passes 
alternately throughout the match. A player giving odds has 
the choice of men, and takes the move in every game, unless 
agreed to the contrary. 

1184. A player who gives the odds of a piece, may give it 
each game from the king's or queen's side, at his option. If 
he gives the odds of a paw^n, he must give the king's bishop's 
pawn, unless otherwise stipulated. 

1185. The player who receives the odds of a certain num- 
ber of moves at the commencement, must not with those moves 
cross from his own half of the board. 



1186. If a player, in his turn to play, touch one of his men, 
he must move that piece, if it can legally move, unless, when 
be first touches it, he says aloud, *'t/Wou6e." No penalty is 
attached to touching a piece, unless it is your turn to move. 



1181. If the player touch his king, with the intention of 
moving him, and then finds that he cannot do so without 



LAWS OF CHESS. 42 1 

placing the king in check, no penalty can be inflicted on his 
replacing his king and moving elsewhere. 

1188. [Otherwise ?] If the player should touch a man which 
cannot be moved without placing his king in check, he must 
move his king instead. 



1Y89. If a player about to move touch one of his adversary's 
men, without saying '^ J^adoiibe^^ when he first touches it, he 
must take that piece, if it can be lawfully taken. 



1790. Should it not be taken, he must, as a penalty, move 
his king ; but should the king be unable to play without going 
into check, no penalty can be enforced. It is not allowed to 
castle upon a compulsory move of the king. 

1191. While you hold your piece you may move it anywhere 
allowed by the rules ; but when you quit your hold the move 
is completed, and must be abided by. 



1192. If you inadvertently move one of your adversary's 
pieces instead of your own, he may compel you to take the 
piece you have touched, should it be en prise; or to replace it 
and move your king, or to leave it on the square to. which you 
have moved it, and forego any other move at that time. 



1193. Should you capture one of the adverse pieces with 
another, instead of one of your own, the capture holds good, 
if your opponent so decides. 



1194. If the player takes a piece through a false move, hi? 
adversary may compel him to take such piece with one that can 
lawfully take it, or to move the piece that has been touched, 
if such move does not expose the king to check, or he may be 
directed to move his king. 



^&' 



1195. If you take one of your own men, instead of one of 
your adversary's, you may be compelled to move one of the 
two pieces touched, at the option of your opponent. 



1196. Mr. Walker thinks that the penalty should be to losf 
the man you have improperly taken off. 



428 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

ITOT. An opponent has the option of punishing a false 
move, by claiming the false move as your move, by compelling 
you to move the piece touched, as you may think fit, or to re- 
place the piece and move your king. 



1798. The king must never be exposed to check by any 
penalty enforced. 



1799. If you move twice running, you may be compelled to 
abide by both moves, or to retract the second. 



1800. Unlimited time is allowed for the moves [unless other- 
wise agreed.] If one player insists upon the postponement 
of the termination of a game, against the will of his opponent, 
the game is forfeited by him who will not play on. 



1801. When a pawn is moved two squares, it is liable to be 
taken, en passant^ by a pawn, but not by a piece. 

1802. If you touch both king and rook, intending to castle, 
you must move one of the two pieces, at the option of your 
adversary ; or he may compel you to complete the castling. 

1803. You cannot take a piece and castle at the same time; 
nor does the rook check as it passes to its new position ; but 
it may check on its position after castling. 

1804. False castling is liable to the same penalties as a false 
move. 



1805. When a player gives the odds of a rook, he does not 
relinquish the right of castling on the side from which the 
rook has been taken, all other conditions being lawful, as if 
the rook were in its place. 



1806. When you give check you must say so aloud. 

1807. If check is not called on either side, but subsequently 
discovered, you must endeavor to recall all the moves back to 
the period when the check first occurred. 



' 1808. You are not compelled to cry check when you attack 
the queen. 



EVENlNa PASTIME. 429 

180d. If you cry check, and afterward alter your determi- 
nation, you are not compelled to abide by the intention, pro- 
vided you have not touched the piece. 



1810. When a pawn reaches the opposite side of the board 
it may be replaced by any piece, at the option of the owner, 
and irrespective of the pieces already owned by him. 

1811. Stall-mate is a drawn game. 



1812. Drawn games count for nothing; and he who moved 
first in the drawn game moves first in the following. 

1813. If you declare to win a game, or position, and only 
draw it, you are accounted the loser. 

1814. When you have either of the following advantages of 
force, you are compelled to give check-mate in fifty moves, or 
the game is considered drawn : 



1815. King and queen against king. 
King and rook against king. 
King and two bishops against king. 
King, bishop, and knight, against king. 
King and queen against king and rook. 
King and rook against king and minor piece. 
King and pawn against king. 
King and two pawns against king and pawn. 



1816. If you move after your adversary has made a false 
move, or committed other irregularity, you cannot claim the 
penalties. 



1817. Spectators are forbidden to make remarks. 



1818. Disputes to be referred to a third party. 



EVENma PASTIME. 

1819. Among the innocent recreations of tlie fireside, tlicre 
are few more commendable and practicable than those afforded 



430 MES. hale's receipts for the million. 

by what are severally termed Anagrams, Charades, Conun- 
drums, Enigmas, Puzzles, Rebuses, Riddles, Transpositions, &c. 

1820. Of these there are such a variety, that they are suited 
to every capacity ; and they present this additional attraction, 
that ingenuity may be exercised in the invention of them, as 
well as in their solution. 



1821. Many persons who have become noted for their 
literary compositions may date the origin of their success to 
the time when they attempted the composition of a trifling 
euiorma or charade. 



1822. Anagrams are formed by the transposition of the let- 
ters of words or sentences, or names of persons, so as to pro- 
duce a word, sentence, or verse of pertinent, or of widely dif- 
ferent meaning. 



1823. They are very difficult to discover, but are exceedingly 
striking v/hen good. The following are some of the most re- 
markable. 



1824. Transposed Forms — Astronomers — No more stars ; 
Catalogues — Got as a clue ; Elegant — Neat leg ; Impatient — 
Tim in a pet ; Immediately — I met my Delia ; Masquerade — 
Queen as mad ; Parishioners — I hire parsons ; Parliament — 
Partial men ; Penitentiary — Nay I repent ; Presbyterians — 
Best in prayer ; Sweetheart — There we sat ; Telegraphs — 
Great helps. 



1825. Conundrums. — These are simple catches, in which 
the sense is playfully cheated, and are generally founded upon 
words capable of double meaning. The following are examples. 



1826. If a person were looking at a conflagration by the 
names of what three great British writers, could he express 
his emotions ? 

182Y. Dickens J How-itt Burns ! 



1828. The name of what class of persons, in Rome, might 
a bear be supposed to say when he was licking his paws after 
having eaten a little girl ? 

1829. Gladiator-^ Glad I aie her. 



HOUSEHOLD MAXIMS. 431 

1830. Who first introduced salt provisions into the navy ? 

1831. Noah, when he took Ham into the ark. 



1832. Why need a person never be hungry in the desert ? 

1833. Because of the sand which is there. — Sandwiches ! 



1834. Why is a clock the most modest thing in the world ? 

1835. Because it atways keeps its hands before its face ^ and 
no matter how good its works are, it will run itself down. 



PAET IX. 

WORK IN DOORS AND OUT. 

Home Comforts — Household Receipts — Wise Economy — 
Fuel — Things to Know — Cleanliness — Accidents — Agri- 
culture — Gardening — Etc., Etc. 

HOUSEHOLD MAXIMS. 

1836. A short needle makes the most expedition in plain 
sewing. 



183Y. When you are particular in wishing to have precisely 
what you want from a butcher's, go and purchase it yourself. 



1838. One flannel petticoat will wear nearly as long as two, 
if turned behind-part before, when the front begins to wear 
thin. 



1839. People in general are not aware how very essential 
to the health of their inmates is the free admission of light 
into their houses. 



1840. A leather strap, with a buckle to fasten, is much 
more commodious than a cord for a box in general use for. 
Bhort distances ; cording and uncording is a disagreeable job. 



432 MRS. hale's receipts J'OR the million. 

1841. There is not any real economy in purchasing cheap 
cottons for gentlemen's night shirts. The cloth cuts in holes, 
and soon becomes bad colored in washing. 



1842. Sitting to sew by candle-light by a table 'with a dark 
viloth on it is injurious to the eye-sight. When no other 
remedy presents itself, put a sheet of white paper before you. 



1843. People very commonly complain of indigestion : how 
can it be wondered at, when they seem by their habit of swal- 
lowing their food wholesale, to forget for what purpose they 
are proyided with teeth. 



1844. Eat slowly and you will not over-eat. 



1845. Keeping the feet warm will prevent headaches. 



1846. Late at breakfast — hurried for dinner — cross at tea. 



184T. Between husband and wife little attentions beget 
much love. 



1848. Always lay your table neatly, whether you have com- 
pany or not. 



1849. Put your balls or reels of cotton into little bags, leav- 
ing the ends out. 



1850. Whatever you may choose to give away, always be 
sure to keep your temper. 



1851. Feather beds should be opened every third year, the 
ticking well dusted, soaped and waxed, the feathers dressed 
and returned. 



1852. Bed-rooms heated are pernicious to health. 



1853. Beds, instead of being made up as soon as people 
rise out of them, ought to be turned down, and exposed to 
the fresh air from the open windows through the day. 



1854. Feather beds, especially in youth and in warm weather, 



HOUSEHOLD MAXIMS. 43? 

enervate the system, destroying its vigor and health. Neither 
should beds be too hard. Sleeping with the head under the 
clothes is pernicious ; so, also, confined air caused by curtains. 



1855. The floor is the unhealthiest part of a room, from 
the tendency of impure air to descend. 

1856. Charcoal, when burning, should have an uncovered 
vessel of boiling water over it, the vapor of which will coun- 
teract the deleterious fumes. 



185t. Powdered charcoal will remove smells, impurities, Ac, 
from old glass vessels, after the grosser parts have been scoured 
off with sand and potash. 



1858. A perfume hvlm^n, &e., is made of rose leaves dried 
in the shade, mixed with powdered cloves, scraped mace, and 
put in little bags. 

1859. Persons of defective sight, when threading a needle, 
should hold it over something white, by which the sight will 
be assisted. 



1860. In mending sheets and shirts, put the pieces suffi- 
ciently large, or in the first washing the thin parts give way, 
and the work is all undone. 



1861. Reading by candle-light, place the candle behind you, 
that the rays may pass over your shoulder on to the book. 
This will relieve the eyes. 



1862. A wire fire-guard, for each fire-place in a house, costs 
little, and greatly diminishes the risk to life and property. Fix 
them before going to bed. 



1863. In winter, get the work forward by daylight, to pre- 
vent running about at night with candles. Thus you escape 
grease spots and risks of fire. 



1864. Matches, out of the reach of children, should be kept 
in every bedroom. They are cheap enough. 

28 



434 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

1865. Apple and suet dumplings are lighter when boiled in 
a net than a cloth. Scum the pot well. 



1866. When chamber towels get thin in the, middle, cut 
them in two, sew the selvages together, and hem the sides. 



'186T. When you dry salt for the table, do not place it in 
tne salt-cells until it is cold, otherwfle it will harden into a 
lump. 



1868. Never put away plate, knives and forks, &c., un- 
cleaned, or sad inconvenience will arise when the articles are 
wanted. 



1869. After washing, overlook linen, and stitch on buttons, 
hooks and eyes, &c.; for this purpose, keep a *' housewife's 
friend," full of miscellaneous threads, cottons, buttons, hooks, 
&c. 



1870. For ventilation, open your windows both at top and 
bottom. The fresh air rushes in one way, while the foul 
makes its exit the other. This is letting in your friend and 
expelling your enemy. 



18tl. Never allow your servants to put wiped knives on 
your table ; for, generally speaking, you may see that they 
have been wiped with a dirty cloth. 



1872. There is not any thing gained in economy by having 
very young and inexperienced servants at low wages. 



1873. Dirty windows speak to the passer-by of the negli- 
gence of the inmates. 



1874. Carpets. — If the corner of a carpet gets loose and 
prevents the door opening, or trips every one up that enters 
the room, nail it down at once. A dog's-eared carpet marks 
the sloven as well as the dog's-eared book. 



1875. Cravats or stocks should not be worn so tight as to 
compress the many large blood-vessels of the neck, which con- 
nect with the brain. 



HOUSEHOLD RECEIPTg FOR MANY THINGS. 435 

18t6. Impure air of theatres, ball-rooms, and other crowded 
and badly-ventilated buildings and sleeping-rooms, is poison 
to the lungs. 



1877. Eye-sight is best preserved by a moderate light — too 
little, strains — too much, dazzles and injures. Bathing in cold 
water is of service 



1.878. Consumption. — Remedies. — Vigorous, daily, but not 
violent, exercise, and free exposure to the air, are important. 
As the great difficulty in medicine is in reaching the seat of 
this disease, frequently inhaling certain fumes may be a means 
of healing the lu^igs. Sitting and sleeping in a room through 
v^^hich the fumes of resin, turpentine, or other similar gums 
are moderately diffused, may be of service. 



1879. Small Fox is prevented by vaccination, if well done. 
Never neglect vaccination. 



1880. Water is purified by — 1, filtration through gravel, 
sand, or soft porous stone and charcoal. Or, 2, it may be 
sweetened and improved by charcoal, coarsely pulverized and 
thrown into a vessel of water. 3, by boiling and distillation. 
Water is greatly improved in wells or pumps that are fre- 
quently used. 



1881. Distilled Watery after being exposed to the air, is the 
most salubrious of all drinks, and its daily use is of the great- 
est importance in dyspepsia and similar diseases. 



1882. Wet Clothes should not be worn near a fire, or so as 
to occasion sudden heat. Keep in motion till dry can be 
had, then change at once, and give the feet a long heating. 



1883. Black Silks wash in warm small be^r and milk. 



HOUSEHOLD RECEIPTS FOR MANY THINGS. 

1884. To Extract Grease from Clothes. — Scrape off all the 
grease that you can with a knife ; then lay over the spot a 
thick brown paper, and press it with a warm iron ; if the 



486 MBS HALE'S EECEIIPTS J*OR THE MILLION. 

grease comes through the paper, take another piece, and so 
on until it does not soil the paper. 



1885. If not all out, wrap a bit of cloth or flannel round 
the finger, dip it in spirits of wine, and rub the grease spot ; 
this Vill take it out. Be careful not to have the iron too hot. 
Try it on white paper ; if it scorches this, it is too hot. 

1886. To Extract Paint from Woolen. — Bub the spot with 
a piece of flannel saturated with turpentine, or spirit of wine. 



1887. To Preserve Mats. — Brush them always with a soft 
brush. Keep them in a hat box if not in constant use, as air 
and dust soon turn them brown. Have a stick for each hat. 



1888. — Hats when wet should be handled lightly, wipedMry 
with a cloth or silk handkerchief, and brushed. If the fur 
sticks, dampen it with a sponge dipped in vinegar, and brush 
it dry. 



1889. When heated by exercise avoid drinking cold v\^ater. 
Rinse the mouth with cold water before drinking. 



1890. To Procure Sleep. — On going to bed take a warm 
or cold bath. 



IS^l, Another Way. — Rub the body well with rough 
towels or the flesh-brush for a quarter of an hour. 



1892. To Relieve Headache in Bed. — Wash the head in 
cold water, and lay aside the night-cap, but see that the feet 
are kept warm. 



1893. The air bath is very healthful. Children especially 
should resort to this method of enjoying the salubrious influ- 
ence of the atmosphere. 

1894. Dr. Franklin^s plan was to rise at day-break, and 
pass half an hour in his chamber undressed, reading or writ- 
in«:. 



1895. Close Closets that have become infested with moths 



HOUSEHOLD RECEIPTS FOR MANY THINGS. 437 

should be well rubbed with a strong decoction of tobacco, and 
repeatedly sprinkled with spirits of camphor. 



1896. The Sting of a Nettle may be cured by rubbing the 
part with rosemary, mint, or sage leaves. 

189*7. Charcoal Fumes. — The usual remedies for persdos 
overcome with the fumes of charcoal in a close apartment are, 
to throw cold water on the head and to bleed immediately ; 
also apply mustard or hartshorne to the soles of the feet. 



1898. An Ever-Dirly Hearth, and a grate always choked 
with cinders and ashes, are infallible evidences of bad house- 
keeping. 

1899. Effects of Charcoal, in stopping putrefaction, are 
now well ascertained ; fish or meat may be restored by boiling 
charcoal with them. 



1900. Moths — to get rid of them, — Procure shavings of 
cedar-wood, and enclose in muslin bags, which should be dis- 
tributed freely among the clothes. 



1901. Second, — Sprinkle pimento (allspice) berries among 
the clothes. Sprinkle the clothes with the seeds of the musk 
plant. 



1902. To Destroy the Eggs. — When deposited in woolen 
cloth, &c., use a solution of acetate of potash in spirits of rose- 
mary, fifteen grains to the pint. 



1903. To Drive away Moths from clothes, wrap up some 
yellow or turpentine soap in paper ; or place an open bottle 
containing spirits of turpentine in the wardrobe. 



1904. Cold Green Tea, very strong, and sweetened with 
sugar, when set about in saucers, attracts flies and destroys 
them. 

1905. For Keeping a Door open, place a large brick, cov- 
ered neatly with a piece of carpeting, against the door 



438 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

1906. A Stair- Carpet should never be swept down with a 
long broom, but always with a short-handled brush, and a dust 
pan held closely under each step of the stairs. 



1907. A Hat should be brushed every day with a hat-brush, 
and twice a-day in dusty weather. 



1908. Rings that have stones in them should always be 
taken off the finger 'when the hands are washed, else they be- 
come discolored. 



1909. Beading in Bed at night should be avoided, as be- 
sides the danger of an accident, it never fails to injure the 
eyes. 



1910. In Escaping from a Fire, creep or crawl along the 
room with your face close to the ground. Children should be 
early taught how to press out a spark when it happens to 
reach any part of their dress, and also that running into the 
air will cause it to blaze immediately. (See page 204.) 



I'Qll. Bronzed Chandeliers, Lamps, &c., should be merely 
dusted with a feather brush, or with a soft cloth, as washing 
them will take off the bronzing. 



1912. Iron Wipers.^ — Old soft towels, or pieces of old 
sheets or tablecloths, make excellent iron wipers. 



1913. To Clean Looking- Glasses. — First wash the glass 
all over with lukewarm soap-suds and a sponge. When dry, 
rub it bright with a buckskin and a little prepared chalk, finely 
powdered. 



1914. Flowers and Shrubs should be excluded from a bed- 
chamber. 



1915. Water of every kind, except rain water, will speedily 
cover the inside of a tea-kettle with an unpleasant crust ; this 
may easily be guarded against by placing a clean oyster-shell 
in the tea-kettle, which will always keep it in good order, by 
attracting the particles of earth or of stone 



HOtTSEHOLD RECEIPTS FOR MANY THINGS. 439 

1916. Paper Fire- Screens should be coated with transpa- 
rent varnish, otherwise they will soon become soiled and dis- 
colored. 



1917. The best Lamp- Oil is that which is clear and nearly 
colorless, like water^ 



1918. Oil-Grease may be removed from a hearth by cover- 
ing it immediately with thick hot ashes, or with burning coals. 



1919. Candles improve by keeping a few months. 



1920. Glass Vessels j and other utensils, may be purified 
and cleaned by rinsing them out with powdered charcoal. 



1921. Family Clocks ought only to be oiled with the very 
purest oil, purified by a quart of lime-water to a gallon of oil, 
in which it has been well shaken, and suffered to stand for 
three or four days, when it may be drawn off. 



1922. To Heat a Bed at a moment's notice, throw a little 
salt into the warming-pan, and suffer it to burn for a minute 
previous to use. (See page 17.) 



1923. To Destroy Flies in a room, take half a teaspoonful 
of black pepper in powder, one teaspoonful of brown sugar, 
and one tablespoonful of cream, mix them well together, and 
place them in the room on a plate, where the flies are trouble- 



some. 



1924. Feety to Keep Warm in a Carriage or Cold Boom. — 
Use a stone or glass bottle filled with boiling water and 
wrapped in flannel. 



1925. To Prevent Cold Feet at Night.— 'Ruh the ankles 
and feet with the hand as hard as can be borne for five or ten 
minutes before retiring. This will be found an effectual 
remedy. 



1926. Another Way. — Frequent washing, and rubbing them 
thoroughly clvy, with a linen cloth, or flannel, is useful. 



440 MliS' HALE^S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

1927. To Warm Beds.- — Take all the black or blazing coals 
out of the pan, and scatter a little salt over the remainder. 
This will prevent the smell of sulphur. 



1928. To Explore Unventilated PZaces.— Light sheets of 
brown paper and throw into the well or cavern. Or, fix a 
long pipe to a pair of bellows, and blow into the place for 
some time. 



1929. To Destroy Crickets,^— Fnt Scotch snuff upon the 
holes where they come out. 

1930. To Brush Clothes. — Have a wooden horse to put the 
clothes on, and a small cane to beat the dust out of them ; 
also a board or table long enough for them to be put their 
w^hole length while brushing them. 

1931. Have two brushes, one hard and the other soft. Use 
the hard brush for the great coats ; the soft for the fine cloth 
garments. These should never be brushed with too hard a 
brush, as this will take off the nap. 



1932. The Cane for the Clothes should not be too large. 
A small hand- whip is the best to beat with. Be careful not . 
to strike the buttons. 



1933. If the coat be wet and spotted with -mud, let it be 
quite dry before brushing it. Then rub off the mud with the 
hands ; put the coat at its full length on the board, and brush 
the cloth the same way the nap goes, which is toward the 
skirt of the coat. 



1934. Chimneys, Smoky, to Cure, — A northern aspect often 
produces a smoky chimney. 



1935. Stacks of Chimneys are less apt to smoke than singi 
ones. 



1936. Straight Funnels seldom draw well. 



193t. Large Fire-Places are apt to smoke. When they do 
so, the lower aperture should be diminished. 



HOUSEHOLD RECEIPTS FOR MANY THINGS. 441 

1938. If the chimney smokes only when the fire is first lighted, 
lay any inflammable substance, as shavings, on the top of the. 
grate ; the rapid combustion of which will warm the air of the 
chimney, and give it a tendency upward before any smoke is 
produced. 

1939. A chimney so incorrigible as to require the constant 
admission of fresh air, should have a pipe introduced, one of 
whose apertures is under the grate, and the other in the open 
air. Or openings may be made for ventilation near the top 
of the apartment. 



1940. To prevent unpleasant odor in Clothes laid up for a 
time, place recently-made charcoal between the folds of the 
garments. Even when the odor has taken place, the charcoal 
will absorb it. 



1941. To Purify Stagnant Water. — One part of chalk and 
two of alum will speedily purify stagnant water, and four parts 
of animal carbon and one of alum are sufficient to purify a 
thousand parts of muddy river water. 



1942. To Prevent the Smoking of a Lamp. — Soak the wick 
in strong vinegar, and well dry it before you use it* 



1943. To Clean Cane Chairs. — Sponge them, until soaked, 
with soap and hot .water. 



1944. Clean White Vails. — Put the vail in a solution of 
white soap, and let it simmer a quarter of an hour ; squeeze it 
in some warm water and soap till quite clean. Rinse it from 
soap, and then in clean cold water, in which is a drop of liquid 
blue ; then pour boiling water on a teaspoonful of starch, run 
the vail through this, and clear it well by clapping it. After- 
ward pin it out, keeping the edges straight and even. 



1945. Restoring Color to Silk. — When the color has been 
taken from silk by acids, it may be restored by applying to 
the spot a little hartshorne, or sal-volatile. 

1946. Clean White Ostrich Feathers.- — Four ounces of white 
Boap, cut small, dissolved in four pints of water, rather hot, in 



442 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

a lar^e basin ; make the solution into a lather, by beating it 
with birch-rods, or wires. 



1947. Introduce the feathers, and rub well with the hands 
for five or six minutes. After this soaping, wash in clean 
water, as hot as the hand can bear. Shake until dry. 



1948. Cure for a. ^wrn.— Wheat flour and cold water 
mixed to the consistency of soft paste, is an almost instanta- 
neous cure for a burn, whether large or small. Renew before 
the first gets so dry as to stick. 



1949. Slippery Elm bark powdered makes an excellent 
healing poultice for burns, sores, &c., boiled with milk and 
about one-third bread. 



1950. Cod-Liver O^Y.— This is a nauseating medicine, but 
the following receipt is said to remedy the bad taste. 



1951. To a pint of cod-liver oil add an ounce of fine salt ; 
shake them well together, till they amalgamate. 



1952. To Dress Squirrel and other Skins. — Take a hand- 
ful of common salt, and half the quantity of alum ; boil it in 
half a gallon of water till dissolved. When cold, the skins 
may be put in to steep, and allowed to remain for a fortnight, 
occasionally turning them ; they may then be taken out, 
stretched on a board (skin side outward) till 'dry ; they will 
then be found perfectly soft and pliable. 



1953. Another Method. — Stretch the fresh skin on a board, 
and dress it with water in which salt and alum have been dis- 
solved — applying the solution with a brush. This does not 
injure the glossiness of the fur, which is apt to be afi*ected 
when the skin is immersed. 



1954. To Clean Furs. — Strip the fur articles of their stufi"- 
ing and binding, and lay them as much as possible in a flat 
position. 



1955. They most then be subjected to a very brisk brushing, 
with a stiff clothes-brush ; after this, any moth-eaten parts 



HOUSEHOLD EECEIPTS FOR MANY THINGS. 443 

mnst be cut out, and be neatly replaced by new bits of fur to 
match. 



1956. Sable f Chinchilla, Squirrel, Fitch, &c., should be 
treated as follows : Warm a quantity of new bran in a pan, 
taking care that it does not burn, to prevent which it must be 
actively stirred. 



]95Y. When well warmed, rub it thoroughly into the fur 
with the hand. Repeat this two or three times ; then shake 
the fur, and give it another sharp brushing until free from 
dust. 



1958. White Furs, Ermine, &c., may be cleaned as follows : 
Lay the fur on the table, and rub it well wRh bran made moist 
with warm water; rub until quite dry, and afterward with dry 
bran. The wet bran should be put on with flannel, and the 
dry with a piece of book-muslin. 



1959. The Light Furs, in addition to the above, should be 
well rubbed with magnesia, or a piece of book-muslin, after 
the bran process. 



1960. Stretching Furs. — Furs are usually much improved 
by stretching, which may be managed as follows : To a pint 
of soft water add three ounces of salt, dissolve ; with this solu- 
tion sponge the inside of the skin (taking care not to wet the 
fur), until it becomes thoroughly saturated ; then lay it care- 
fully on a board with the fur side downward, in its natural 
disposition ; then stretch, as much as it will bear, to the re- 
quired shape, and fasten with small tacks. The drying may 
be quickened by placing the skin a little distance from the fire 
or stove. 



1961. To Pi^eserve Furs from Moths. — Warm water, one 
Dint; corrosive sublimate, twelve grains. If washed with 
this, and afterward dried, furs are safe from moth. Care 
hhould be taken to label the liquid '* poison." 



19G2. To Keep away Flies. — No fly will enter a room in 
which a wreath of walnut leaves has been hung u]). The ex- 
periment is worth trying. 



444 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

1963. Washing, — The most important department of do- 
mestic economy naturally includes the washhouse, into which 
philosophy has found its way for the application of many use- 
ful principles, and much useful practice. (See p. 262.) 



1964. To Clean Morocco Shoes. — Dissolve gum arable in 
water, and mix with it a little white sugar. If it is to be kept 
any time, put in a little spirits of wine. Brush the shoes 
with it. 



1965. Cheap Door-Mats. — Cut old broadcloth or any 
woolen articles into long strips from one to two inches broad. 
Bro^d three of these together, and sew the braid round in 
gradually increasing circles till large enough. 



WISE ECONOMY. 

1966. If you have a strip of land, do not throw away soap- 
suds. Both ashes and soap-suds are good manure for bushes 
and young plants. 



196T. Woolen Clothes should be washed in very hot suds, 
and not rinsed. Lukewarm water shrinks them. 



1968. Do not let coffee and tea stand in tin. 



1969. Scald your wooden-ware often, and keep your tin-ware 
dry. 



1910. Preserve the backs of old letters to write upon. 

1911. If you have children who are learning to write, buy 
coarse white paper by the quantity, and keep it locked up, 
ready to be made into writing-books. It does not cost half so 
much as it does to buy them at the stationer^s. 



1912. See that nothing is thrown away which might have 
served to nourish your own family or a poorer one. 



1913. As far as possible, have bits of bread eaten up before . 



wist: ECONOMY. 445 

tl>ey become hard ; spread those that are not eaten, and let 
them dry, to be }30unded for puddings, or soaked for brewis. 



19T4. Brewis is made of crusts and dry pieces of bread, 
soaked a good while in hot milk, mashed up, and eaten with 
salt. 



19t5. Above all, do not let crusts accumulate in such quan-' 
titles that they cannot be used. With proper care, there is 
no need of losing a particle of bread. 



19T6. All the mending in the house should be done once a 
week, if possible. 



191^. Never put out sewing. If it be not possible to do it 
in your own family, hire some one into the house, and work 
with them. 



1918. Do not let knives be dropped into hot dish-water. It 
is a good plan to have a large tin pot to wash them in, just 
high enough to wash the blades without wetting the handles. 



1919. It is better to accomplish perfectly a very small 
amount of work, than to half do ten times as much.- 



1980. Charcoal Powder will be found a very good thing 
to give knives a first-rate polish. 



1981. A Bonnet and trimmings may be worn a much longer 
time, if the dust be brushed well off after walking. 



1982. Much knowledge may b^e obtained by the good house- 
wife observing how things are managed in well-regulated 
families. 



1983. — Apples intended for dumplings should not have the 
core taken out of them, as the pips impart a delicious flavor 
to the dumpling. 



1984. A Bice Pudding is most excellent without either eggs 
or sugar, if baked gently ; it keeps better without eggs. 



446 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

1985. ''Wilful waste makes woful want." Do not cook a 
fresh joint whilst any of the last remains uneaten — hash it up, 
and with gravy and a little management eke out another day's 
dinner. 



1986. A warming-pan full of coals, or a shovel of coals, 
held over varnished furniture, will take out white spots. Care 
•should be taken not to hold the coals near enough to scorch ; * 
and the place should be rubbed with a flannel while warm. 

1981. Sal-volatile or hartshorne will restore colors taken 
out by acid. It may be dropped upon any garment without 
doing harm. 



1988. New Iron should be very gradually heated at first. 
After it has become inured to the heat, it is not so likely 
to crack. 



1989. The shanks of mutton make a good stock for nearly 
any kind of gravy — and they are very cheap — a dozen may be 
had for a penny, enough to make a quart of delicious soup. 

1990. Thick curtains, closely drawn around the bed, are 
very injurious, because they not only confine the effluvia 
thrown off from our bodies whilst in bed, but interrupt the 
current of pure air. 

1991. Regularity in the payment of accounts is essential to 
housekeeping. All tradesmen's bills should be paid weekly, 
"for then any errors can be detected whilst the transactions are 
fresh in the memory. 

1992. Linen Rags should be carefully saved, for they are 
extremely useful in sickness. If they 'have become dirty and 
worn by cleaning silver, &c., wash them and scrape them into 
lint. 



1993. If you are troubled to get soft water for washing, fill 
a tub or barrel half fall of wood ashes, and fill it up with water, 
so that you may have ley whenever you may want it.* A gal- 
lon of strong ley put into a great kettle of hard water, will 
make it as soft as rain water. 



WISE ECONOMY. 44T 

1994. ^^ Morning^ s Milk,^^ says an eminent German philoso- 
plier, '* commonly yields some hundredths more cream than the 
evening's at the same temperature. That milked at noon fur- 
nishes the least; it would therefore be of advantage, in making 
butter and cheese, to employ the morning's milk, and to keep 
the evening's for domestic use." 



1995. Scouring Drops for Removing Grease. — There are 
several preparations of this name ; one of the best is made as 
follows : Caraphene, or spirits of turpentine, three ounces ; 
essence of lemon, one ounce ; mix. 

1996. Sweeping. Carpets. — Persons who are accustomed to 
use tea-leaves for sweeping their carpets, and find that they 
leave stains, will do well to employ fresh cut grass instead. It 
is better than tea-leaves for preventing dust, and gives the 
carpets a very bright, fresh look. 



199T. Economy of Fuel. — There is no part of domestic 
economy which everybody professes to understand better than 
the management of a fire, and yet there is no branch in the 
household arrangements where there is a greater proportional 
and unnecessary waste, than arises from ignorance and mis- 



management in this article. 



1998. It is an old adage that we must stir no man's fire 
until we have known him seven years ; but we might find it 
equally prudent if we were careful as to the stirring of our 
own. 



1999. Anybody, indeed, can take up a poker and toss the 
coals about ; but that is not stirring a lire ! '^ 



2000. If the consumer, instead of ordering a large supply 
of coal at once, will at first content himself with a sample, he 
may, with very little trouble, ascertain who will deal fairly 
with him ; and, if he wisely pays ready money, he will be in- 
dependent of his coal merchant ; a situation which few familitis, 
even in genteel life, can boast of. 



2001. Indeed, we cannot too often repeat the truth, that to 



448 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

deal tor ready money only, in all the departments of domestic 
arrangement, is the truest economy. 



2002. Ready money, will always command the best and 
cheapest of every article of consumption, if expended with 
judgment ; and the dealer, who intends to act fairly, will 
always prefer it. 



2003. Trust not him who seems more anxious to give credit 
than to receive cash. 



2004. The former hopes to secure custom by having a hold 
upon you in his books ; and continues always to make up for 
his advance, either by an advance price, or an inferior article ; 
whilst the latter knows that your custom can only be secured 
by fair dealing. 

2005. There is, likewise, another consideration, as far as 
economy is concerned, which is, not only to buy with ready 
money, but to buy at proper seasons ; for there is with every 
article a cheap season and a dear one. 



2006. The master of a family v>^ho fills his coal cellar in the 
middle of the summer, rather than the beginning of the win- 
ter, will save one-fourth which it would otherwise cost 
him ; and will be enabled to see December's snows falling 
without feeling bis enjoyment of his fireside lessened by the 
consideration that the cheerful blaze is supplied at twice the 
rate that it need have done, if he had exercised more fore- 
sight. 



that clinrineys often smoke, and that coal is often wasted by 
throwing too much fuel at once upon a fire. 



2008. To prove this observation, it is only necessary to 
remove the superfluous coal from the top of the grate, when 
the smoking instantly ceases. 



2009. As to the waste, that evidently proceeds from the 
frequent, intemperate and injudicious use of the poker, which 
not only throws a great portion of the small coals among the 



WISE ECONOMY. 449 

cinders, but often extinguishes the fire it was intended to 
foster. 



2010. Economy in Corj^ets. — In buying a carpet, as in 
every thing else, those of the best quality are cheapest in the 
end. As it is extremely desirable tliat they should look as 
clean as possible, avoid buying carpet that has any white in it. 
Even a very small portion of white fiiterspersed through the 
pattern will in a sliort time give a dirty appearance to the 
whole ; and certainly no carpet can.be worse for use than one 
with a white ground. 



2011. A carpet in which all the colors are light, never has 
a clean, bright effect, from the want of dark tints to contrast 
and set off the li2:ht ones. 



2012. For a similar reason, carpets whose colors are all of 
what artists call middle tint (neither dark nor light), cannot 
fail to look dull and dingy, eveti when quite new. 



2013. The caprices of fashion at times bring these ill-col- 
ored carpets into vogue ; but in apartments where elegance is 
desirable, they always have a bad effect. 



2014. For a carpet to be really beautiful 'and in good taste, 
there should be, as in a picture, a judicious disposal of light 
and shadow, with a gradation of very bright and of very dark 
tints ; some almost white, and others almost or quite black. 



2015. Bed Carpets. — The most truly chaste, rich and ele- 
gant carpets, are those where the pattern is formed by one 
color only, but arranged in every variety of shade. For 
instance, we have seen a Brussels carpet entirely red ; the 
pattern formed by shades or tints, varying from the deepest 
crimson (almost a black), to the palest pink (ajmost a white). 



2016. Green Carpets, — Also one of green only, shaded 
from the darkest bottle-green, in some parts of the figure, to 
the lightest pea-green in others. 



2017. Brown Carpets. — Another, in which there wos no 
c©lor but brown, in all its various gradation, some of tbo 
29 



450 MES. HALES REGEIPIS FOR THE MILLION. 

shades being nearly black, others of a light bufF. All these 
carpets had much the look of rich cut yelvet. 



2018. The Curtains, Sofas, Sc, of course, were of corre- 
sponding colors, and the effect of the whole was noble and 



elegant. 



2019. Carpets of many gaudy colors are much less in 
demand than formerly. Two colors only, with the dark and 
light shade of each, will make a very handsome carpet. 

2020. A very light blue ground, with the figure of shaded 
crimson or purple, looks extremely well ; so does a salmon- 
color or buff ground, with a deep green figure ; or a light yel- 
low ground, with a shaded blue figure. 



2021. Bugs. — If you cannot obtain a hearth-rug that exactly 
corresponds with the carpet, get one entirely different ; for a 
decided contrast looks better than a bad match. 



2022. We have s^en very handsome hearth-rugs with a rich, 
black, velvet-looking ground, and the figure of shaded blue, 
or of various tints of yellow and orange. 



2023. A carpet decidedly light-colored throughout, has a 
good effect on the floor, or continues long to look clean. 



THINGS TO KNOW. 

2024. Why do candles and lamps ''spirt," when rain is at 
hand ? 

2025. Because the air is filled with vapor, and the humidity 
penetrates the wick, where (being formed into steaD:i) it ex- 
pands suddenly, and produces a little explosion. 



2026. Why does a drop of water sometimes roll along a 
piece of hot iron without leaving the least trace. 

202T. Because (when the iron is very hot indeed) the bot- 
tom of the drop is turned into vapor, which buoys the drop 
up, without allowing it to touch the iron. 



THINGS TO KNOW. 451 

2028. Why does a laundress put a little saliva on a flat-iron, 
to know if it be hot enough? 

2029. Because, when the saliva sticks to the box, and is 
evaporated, she knows it is no^ sufficiently hot : but when it 
runs along the iron, it is. 



2030. Why is the flat-iron hotter, if the saliva runs along 
it, than if it adheres till it is evaporated ? 

2031. Because, when the saliva runs along the iron, the 
heat is sufficient to convert the bottom of the drop into vapor; 
but if the saliva will not roll, the iron is not sufficiently hot 
to convert the bottom of the drop into vapor. 



2032. Why do wet feet or clothes give us " cold ''? 

2033. Because the evaporation absorbs the heat so abun- 
dantly from the surface of our body, that its temperature is low- 
ered below its natural standard ; in consequence of which 
health is injured. [This also explains why it is dangerous to 
sleep in a damp bed.] 



2034. Why is the health injured when the temperature of 
the body is reduced below its natural standard ? 

2035. Because the balance of the ^circulation is destroyed, 
blood is driven away from the external surface by the chill, 
and thrown upon the internal organs, which are oppressed by 
this increased load of blood. 



2036. Why do not sailors get cold, who are frequently wet 
all day with sea-water. 

203T. Because the salt of the sea retards evaporation ; and 
(as the heat of their bodies is drawn off gradually) the sensa- 
tion of cold is prevented. Also, the salt of the sea acts as a 
stimulant, and keeps the blood circulating in the skin. 



2038. vVhat is the cause of snow ? 

2039. When the air is nearly saturated with vapor, and 
condensed by a current of air below freezing-point, some of 
the vapor is condensed, and frozen into snow. A few years 
ago, some fishermen (who wintered at Nova Zcmbla), after 
they had been shut up in a hut for several days, opened the 
window: and the cold external air rushing in, instantly con- 



452 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

densed the air of the hut, and its vapor fell on the floor in a 
shower of snow. 



2040. What is the cause of sleet ? 

2041. When flakes of snow (in their descent) pass through 
a bed of air above freezing point, they partially melt, and fall 
to the earth as half-melted snow. 



2042. What is hail ? 

2043. Kain which has passed in its descent through some 
cold bed of air, and has been frozen into drops of ice. 



2044. What is rain ? 

2045. The vapor of the clouds or air condensed, and pre- 
cipitated to the earth. 



2046. Why are rain-drops sometimes much larger than at 
' other times ? 

204t. When the rain-cloud is floating near the earth, the 
drops are larger, because such a cloud is much more dense 
than one more elevated. The size of the rain-drop is also in- 
creased according to the rapidity with which the vapors are 
condensed. 



2048. Why does the Bible say that God ''giveth snow like 
wool" ? 

2049. Because snow (being a very bad conductor of heat) 
protects vegetables and seeds from the frost and cold. 



2050. How does the non-conducting power of snow protect 
vegetables from the frost and cold ? 

2051. It prevents the heat of the earth from being drawn 
off by the cold air which rests upon it. 



2052. Why are woolens and furs used for clothiit^in cold 
weather ? 

2053. Because they are very bad conductors of heat, and 
therefore prevent the warmth of the body from being drawn off 
by the cold air. 



2054. Do not woolens and furs actually impart heat to the 
body ? 



THINGS TO KNOW. 458 

2055. No ; they merely prevent the heat of the body from 
escaping. 



2056. Where would the heat escape to, if the body were 
not wrapped in wool or fur ? 

205Y. The heat of the body would fly off into the air : for 
the cold air, coming in contact with our body, would gradu- 
ally draw away its heat, till it- was as- cold as the air itself. 

2058. What then is the^ principal use of clothing in winter 
time ? " 

2059. To prevent the animal heat from escaping too freely; 
and to protect the body from the external air (or wind), which 
would carry away its heat too rapidly. 



2060. Why are March winds dry ? 

2061. Because they generally blow from the east or north- 
east, and therefore sweep over the continent of America. 



2062. What is the use of March winds ? 

2063. They dry the soil (which is saturated by the floods 
of February), break up the heavy clods, and fit the land for 
the seeds which are committed to it. 



2064. Why is it said that ^' March comes in like a lion ?'' 

2065. Because it comes in with blustering east winds, so 
essential to dry the soil, which would otherwise rot the seed 
committed to it. 



2066. Why does " March go out like a lamb V 

2067. Because the water, evaporated by the high winds, 
falls again in showers to fertilize the earth, and breaks the 
violence of the winds. 



2068. Why is it said that ^' March flowers make no summer 
bowers ?'' . - 

2069. Because, if the spring be very mild, vegetation gets 
too forward, and is pinched by the nightly frosts, so as to pro- 
duce neither fruits nor flowers. 



20*70. Why is it said that " April showers bring May 
flowei^s V 



454 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

20n. Because April showers supply the principal nourish- 
ment on which the seeds depend for their development. 



2072. Why does a polished metal teapot make better tea 
than a black earthen one ? 

20Y3. As polished metal is a very bad radiator of heat, it 
keeps the water hot much longer ; and the hotter the water 
is, the better it draws the tea. 



2074. Why will not a dull black teapot make good tea ? 

2075. Because the heat of the water flies off so quickly, 
through the dull black surface of the teapot, that the water is 
very rapidly cooled, and cannot " draw" the tea. 

2076. Do not pensioners, and aged cottagers, generally 
prefer the black earthen teapot to the bright metal one ? 

2077. Yes, because they set it on the hob to ''draw;" in 
which case, the little black teapot will make the best tea. 



2078. Why will a black teapot make a better tea than a 
bright metal one, if it is set on the hob to draw ? 

2079. Because the black teapot wiir absorb heat plentifully 
from the fire, and keep the water hot ; whereas a bright metal 
teapot (set upon the hob) would throw off the heat by reflec- 
tion. 



2080. Then sometimes a black earthen teapot is the best, 
and sometimes a bright metal one ? 

2081. Yes; when the teapot is set on the hob to ''draw,'' 
the black earth is the best, because it absorbs heat ; but when 
the teapot is not set on the hob the bright metal is "the best, 
because it radiates heat very slowly, and therefore keeps the 
water hot. 



2082. Why does a saucepan which has been used boil in a 
shorter time than a new one ? 

2083. Because the bottom and back are covered with soot, 
and the black soot rapidly absorbs the heat of the glowing 
coals. 



2084. Why should the front and lid of a saucepan be clean 
and bright ? 



THIXGM TO KNOW. 455 

2085. As they do not come in contact with the fire, they 
cannot absorb heat, and (being' bright) they will not suffer 
the heat to escape by radiation. 



2086. Why should not the bottom and back of a kettle be 
cleaned and polished ? 

208 1. Because they come in contact with the fire, and 
(while they are covered with black sooO absorb heat freely 
from the burning coals. 



2088. Why are dinner-covers made of bright tin or silver? 

2089. Because light-colored and highly-polished metal is a 
very bad radiator of heat ; and, therefore, bright tin or silver 
will not allow the heat of the cooked food to escape through 
the cover by radiation. 



2090. Why should a meat-cover be very brightly polished? 

2091. If the cover be dull or scratched, it will absorb heat 
from the food ; and instead of keeping it hot, it will make it 
cold. 



2092. Why should a silver meat-cover be plain, and not 
chased ? 

2093. Because, if the cover be chased, it will absorb heat 
from the food ; and instead of making it hot, will make it 
cold. 



2094. What is the smoke of a candle ? 

2095. Solid particles of carbon, separated from the wick 
and tallow, but not consumed. 



2096. Why are some particles consumed and not others ? 

2091. The combustion of the carbon depends upon its com- 
bining with the oxygen of the ain Now, as the outer surface 
of the flame prevents the access of air to the interior parts, 
much of the carbon of those parts passes ofl" in smoke. 



2098. Why do lamps smoke ? 

2099. Either because the wick is cut unevenly, or else 
because it is turned up too high. 



456 MRS. HALE S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION, 

2100. Why does a lamp smoke, when th'e wick Is cut nn- 

evenly ? 

2101. Because the points of the jagged edge (being very 
easily separated from the wick) load the flame with more car- 
bon than it can consume; and as the heat of the flame is 
greatly diminished by these little bits of wicks, it is unable to 
consume even the usual quantity of smoke. The same applies 
when the wick is turned up too high. 



2102. Why does a lamp-glass diminish the smoke of a wick ? 

2103. Because it increases the supply of oxygen to the 
flame, by producing a draught; and it concentrates and reflects 
the heat of the flame ; in consequence of which the combus- 
tion of the carbon is more perfect, and very little escapes un- 
consumed. 



2104. Hints about Making Butter (See page 281). — Milk 
should never be set for butter in a dark, damp cellar — as in 
the case with butter-makers in this section — as the cream is 
thereby moulded before it has had time to rise, which gives 
the butter a mouldy taste. 



2105. The milk is allowed to stand too long before being 
skimmed, which gives it a cheesy taste. 



2106. The cream is kept too lopg before it is churned, after 
it is skimmed, which gives it the taste of the other two ; and 
also a sour taste. 



210 (T. The butter should never be washed in water, because 
it takes away that beautiful aroma so essential in good butter. 



2108. It should never be taken in a person's warm hands, 
as the heat melts a certain portion of the globules, which 
gives it an oily taste, and makes it become rancid very soon. * 



2109. The milk should be set in good clean tin or earthen 
pans, in a dry, open, airy and shady place, above ground, if 
possible, although a cellar may be so built, and ventilated, as 
to answer the purpose. 



2110. It should never be set over twenty-four hours in warm 



CLEANLINESS. 457 

weather ; and for a dairy of three cows or over, the cream 
should be churned every morning, and never be kept over 
forty-eight hours, in warm weather ; in cold weather it may 
be hept longer. 



CLEANLIxN[»SS. 

2111. The want of cleanliness is a fault which admits of no 
. excuse. Where water can be had for nothing, it is surely in 
the power of every person to be clean. 



2112. The discharge from our bodies, by perspiration, ren- 
ders frequent changes of apparel necessary. 



2113. Change of apparel greatly promotes the secretion 
from the skin, so necessary to health. 



2114. When that matter wdiich ought to be carried off by 
perspiration is either retained in the body, or reabsorbed by 
dirty clothes, it is apt to occasion fevers and other diseases. 

2115. Most diseases of the skin proceed from want of clean- 
liness. These indeed may be caught by infection, but they 
will seldom continue long where cleanliness prevails. 



2116. To the same cause must we impute the various kinds 
of vermin that infest the human body, houses, &c. These 
may generally be banished by cleanliness alone. 



2117. Perhaps the intention of Nature, in permitting such 
vermin to annoy mankind, is to induce them to the practice 
of this virtue. 



2118. One copmon cause of putrid and malignant fevers is 
the want of cleanliness. 



2119. These fevers commonly begin among the inhabitants 
of close, dirty houses, who breathe bad air, take little exer- 
cise, use unwholesome food, and wear dirty clothes. There 
the infection is generally hatched, which spreads far and wide 



458 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

to the destruction of many. Hence cleanliness may be cjon^ 
sidered as an object of the public attention. 



2120. It is not sufficient that I be clean myself, while the 
want of it in my neighbor affects my health as well as his own. 



2121. If dirty people cannot be removed as a common 
nuisance, they ought at least to be avoided as infectious. All 
w^ho regard their health, should keep at a distance, even from 
their habitations. 



2122. In places w^here great numbers of ],'eople are collected, 
cleanliness becomes of the utmost importance. 



2123. It is w^ell known, that infectious diseases are caused 
by tainted air. Every thing, therefore, which tends to pollute 
the air, or spread the infection, ought with the utmost care to 
be avoided. 



2124. For this reason, in great towns, no filth of any kind 
should be permitted to lie upon the streets. We are sorry to 
say, that the importance of general cleanliness does by no 
means seem to be sufficiently understood. 



2125. It were well if the lower classes of the inhabitants of 
the United States would imitate the Dutch, in the cleanliness 
of their streets, houses, &c. 



2126. Water, indeed, is easily obtained in Holland; but 
the situation of most towns in the United States is more 
favorable to cleanliness. 



2127. Nothing can be more agreeable to the senses, more to 
the honor of the inhabitants, or conducive to their health, than 
a clean town ; nor does any thing impress a* stranger sooner 
with a disrespectful idea of any people than its. opposite. 



2128. It is remarkable, that, in most eastern countries, 
cleanliness makes a great part of their religion. The Maho- 
metan, as w el^ as the Jewish religion, enjoins various bathings, 
washings, and purifications. 



CLEANLINESS 459 

2129. No doubt these were designed to represent inward 
purity; but they are at the same time calculated for the pre- 
servation of health. 



2130. However whimsical these washings may appear to 
some, few things would appear more to prevent diseases than 
a proper attention to many of them. 



2131. Were every person, for example, after handling a dead 
body, visiting the sick, &c., to wash and to change his clothes 
before he went into company, or sat down to meat, he would 
run less hazard either of catching the infection himself, or com- 



municating it to others. 



2132. Frequent washing not only removes the filth which 
adheres to the skin, but likewise promotes the perspiration, 
braces the body, and enlivens the spirits. 



2133. Even washing the feet tends greatly to preserve 
health. The sweat and dirt with which these parts are fre- 
quently covered, cannot fail to obstruct their perspiration. 
This piece of cleanliness would often prevent colds and 
fevers. 



2134. Were people to bathe their feet and hands in warm 
watej: at night, after being exposed to cold or wet through 
the day, they would seldom experience any of the fatal effects 
which often proceed from these causes. 



2135. In places where great numbers of sick people are 
kept, cleanliness ought most religiously to be observed. The 
very smell in such places is often sufficient to make one sick. 
It is easy to imagine what effect that is likely to have upon 
the disease. 



2136. A person in health has a greater chance to become 
sick, than a sick person has to get well, in an hospital or in- 
firmary vi^here cleanliness is neglected. 



213T. The brutes themselves set us an example of cleanli- 
ness. Most of them seem uneasy, and thrive ill, if they be not 
kept clean. 



460 MRa. bale's receipts for the million. 

2138. A horse that is kept thoroughly clean, will thrive 
better on a smaller quantity of food, than with a greater, where 
cleanliness is neglected. 



2139. Even our own feelings are sufiScient proof of the 
necessity of cleanliness. How refreshed, how cheerful and 
ugreeable does one feel on being shaved, washed and dressed; 
especially when these have been long neglected. 



2140. Most people esteem cleanliness; and even those who 
do not practice it themselves, ofteu admire it in others. 



2141. Superior cleanliness sooner attracts our regard than 
even finery itself, and often gains esteem where the other fails. 



2142. A clean, fresh, and well-ordered house exercises over 
its inmates a moral no less than a physical influence, and has 
a direct tendency to make the members of a family sober, 
peaceable, and considerate of the feelings and happiness of 
each other ; nor is it diiScult to trace a connection between ^ 
habitual feeling of this sort and the formation of habits of 
respect for property, for the laws in general, and even for 
those higher duties and obligations the observance of which 
no laws can enforce. 



PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS. 

2143. The following regulations should be engraved on the 
memories of all : — 



2144. As most sudden deaths come by water, particular 
caution is therefore necessary in its vicinity. 



2145. Stand not near a tree, or any leaden spout, iron gate, 
or palisade, in time of lightning. 



2146. Lay loaded guns in safe places, and never imitate 
firing a gun in jest. 



2147. Never sleep near charcoal ; if drowsy at any work 
where charcoal fires are used, take the fresh air. 



HOUSEHOLD RECEIPTS FOR MANY THINGS. 461 

2148. Carefully rope trees before they are cut down, that 
when they fall they may do no injury. 



2149. When benumbed with cold, beware of sleeping out of 
doors ; rub yourself, if you have it in your power, with snow, 
and do not hastily approach the fire. 



2150. Beware of damps. 



2151. Air vaults, by letting them remain open some time 
before you enter, or scattering powdered lime in them. 



2152. Where a lighted candle will not burn, animal life can 
not exist ; it will be an excellent caution, therefore, before 
entering damp and confined places, to try this simple experi- 
ment. 



2153. Never leave saddle or draught horses, while in use, 
by themselves, nor go immediately behind a led horse as he is 
apt to kick. 

2154. Ride not on foot-ways. 



2155. Be wary of children, whether they are up or in bed ; 
^nd particularly when they are near the fire, an element with 
which they are very apt to amuse themselves. 



2156. Leave nothing poisonous open or accessible ; and 
never omit to write the word ''Poison^^ in large letters upon 
it, wherever it may be placed. 

^ 215T. In walking the streets, keep out of the line of the cel- 
lars ; and never look one \^ay and walk another. 



2158. Never throw pieces of orange-peel, or broken glass 
bottles, into the streets. 



2159. Never meddle with gunpowder by candle-light. 



2160. In trimming a lamp with naphtha, never fill it. Leave 
space for the spirit to expand with warmth. 



462 MRS. halb's receipts for the million. 

2161. Never quit a room, leaving the poker in the fire. 



2162. When the brass rod of the stair-carpet becomes loose, 
fasten it immediately. 



2163. In opening effervescing drinks, such as soda-water, 
hold the cork in your hand. 



2164. Quit your house with care on a frosty morning. 



2165. Have your horses' shoes roughed directly there are 
indications of frost. 



2166. Keep lucifer matches in their cases, and never let 
them be strewed about. 



ADDITIONAL DOMESTIC HINTS. 

2167. Easy method of Breaking Glass to any required 
Figure.' — Make a small notch by means of a file on the edge 
of a piece of glass, then make the end of a tobacco- 
pipe, or of a rod of iron of the same size, red hot in the fire, 
apply the hot iron to the notch, and draw it slowly along the 
surface of the glass in any direction you please ; a crack will 
follow the direction of the iron. 



2168. Cleansing of Furniture. — The cleaning of furniture 
forms an important part of domestic economy, not only in 
regard to neatness, but also in point of expense. 



2169. The readiest mode indeed consists in good manual 
rubbing, or the '^essence of elbows,'' as it is whimsically termed ; 
l^ut our finest cabinet-work requires something more, where 
brilliancy of polish is of importance. 



21Y0. China and Glass Ware. — For the best way of clean- 
ing, see page 31. 



2111. Much of the red now used in China is actually pro- 
duced by the ano/to extracted from the cuttings of scarlet 



AGRICULTURE — MORE HINTS. 463 

cloth, which have long formed an article of exportation to 
Canton. 



21^2. It ought to Ibe taken for granted that all china or 
glassware is well tempered ; yet a little careful attention may 
not be misplaced, even on that point. 



21T3. Ornamental china or glassware are not exposed to 
the action of hot water in common domestic use. 



21Y4. It will be proper never to apply water to them be- 
" yond a tepid temperature. 



2175. An ingenious and simple mode of annealing glass has 
been some time in use by chemists. It consists in immersing 
the vessel in cold water, gradually heated to the boiling point, 
and suffered to remain till cold, when it will be fit for use. 



2176. Soap and labor may be saved by dissolving alum and 
chalk in bran-water, in which the linen ought to be boiled, 
then well rinsed out, and exposed to the usual process of 
bleaching. 



217*7. Soap may be disused, or nearly so, in the getting up 
of muslins and chintzes, which should always be treated agree- 
ably to the oriental manner ; that is to wash them in plain 
water, and then boil them in congee or rice-water : after which 
they ought not to be submitted to the operation of tiie smooth- 
ing iron, but rubbed smooth with a polished stone. 



2178. The economy which must result from these processes 
renders their consideration important to every private family, 
in addition to which we must state that the improvements in 
philosophy extend to the laundry as well as to the wash- 
house. 



AGRICULTURE— MORE HINTS. 

(see pages 198 AND 264.) 

2179. Small Farms, — Never have more land in culture than 
can be well cultivated. 



464 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

2180. Be a Farmer, not a mere earth-scraper, lazily scratch- 
ing up sufficient earth to destroy the face of the soil, and 
throw seed away, or you will always have to scratch hard for 
a living. But make your farm a source of pride, and it will 
surely become a source of profit. Mate the object to be not 
to have manyj but Wc/i acres. 



2181. Turnip Fly may be expelled by the use of fish-oil, 
one or two gallons to the acre. 

2182. Bone Dust. — An English proverb says, *^One ton of 
bone-dust saves the importation of ten tons of grain." 

2183. Corn. — Sprinkling with salt and water will check 
the weevil. Of all the grains, corn is the most valuable, tak- 
ing into view quantity and price. Soaking the seed in a solu- 
tion of saltpetre keeps off the worm, and largely increases the 
crop. 



2184. Rye is more thrifty on soil of a dry, sandy, or gravely 
texture, if well manured, and winters best when sown early. 



2185. Lime, as manure for wheat, is of great importance 
Use about three bushels to the acre. 



2186. Fields. — As a general rule, with but few exceptions, 
square large fields are more advantageous than small irregular 
ones, requiring less fence, and being more easily watered, 
manured, plowed, and harvested. 



21 8 Y. Musty Grain is made sweet by putting it in boiling 
water, (double the quantity of grain), letting it cool in the wa- 
ter, and then drying it well. Skim the water. 



2188. A Single Weed may draw out the nourishment that 
would have given fullness to half-a-dozen ears. To be free 
from taxes is far less important than to be free from weeds. 



2189. Fences. — Around each post hill the earth, to carry 
off the water, and charr the end a few inches above the sur- 
face. Cedar fences last about 15 years, which should lead 
owners to inquire where the fences are to come from hereafter. 



AGRICULTURE — MORE HINTS. 465 

2190. Manure. — Every farmer can double the quantity of 
his domestic or yard manure, with scarcely any additional ex 
pense. At least fifty per cent, of the nutritive properties of 
yard manure are lost by drenching of rains, excessive ferment- 
ation, and injurious application to so!!. 



2191. Plow deep, — Let a farmer examine the extent and 
depth to which the roots of grain, in a loose and favorable 
soil, will spread, and he will cease to wonder at the failure of 
a crop where the subsoil has never been stirred by the plow. 



2192. Green vegetables, when put under the soil and sub- 
mitted to the process of decomposition, are efficacious in re- 
storing exhausted soils. 



2193. Fertilizing. — Buckwheat and clover are striking in- 
stances of this power in green crops to fertilize soils, and 
both have been extensively used for this purpose. 



2194. Agriculture is worthy the most liberal patronage of 
our governments, state and national ; it ought to be enlight- 
ened by a better (and thorough) education of the agricultural 
class. 



2195. Three Pillars of the State. — Agriculture, manufac- 
tures, commerce, stand together ; but they stand together like 
pillars in a cluster, the largest in the centre, and that largest 
is agriculture. 



2196. The Givilizer. — Let us never forget that the cultiva- 
tion of the earth is the most important labor of man. Man, 
without the cultivation of the earth, is in all countries a savage. 
When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers, there- 
fore, are the founders of human civilization. 



219Y. Independence of Farmers. — We live in a country of 
small farms ; a country, in which men cultivate with their own 
hands, their own fee-simple acres ; drawing not only their sub- 
sistence, but also their spirit of independence, and manly free- 
dom from the ground they plow. 

2198. The Olory of Agriculture. — '* The task of working 



466 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

improvements on the earth is much more delightful than dl 
the vain glory which can be acquired by ravaging it with the 
most uninterrupted career of conquests." — Washington 



CATTLE. 

(see page 289.) 

2199. — Treat Domestic Animal s kindly and tenderly.--^ 
Domestic animals of all kinds from a horse down to a chick- 
en, should be treated with gentleness and mildness ; men or 
boys who are rash and bad-tempered, ought not to be permitted 
to have charge of them or to interfere with their management. 
Animals that are kept in constant fear of suffering never thrive 
well, and they often become vicious and intractable by unkind 
and cruel treatment. 



2200. Keep Stock in good condition. — An animal may be 
kept short of food in the latter part of the fall or first of win- 
ter, at a small saving of food but at a loss in the condition of 
the animal. 



2201. Stables and Food. — Provide comfortable sheds and 
stables. Kemeraber that a want of comfort is always a waste 
of flesh. Give a sufficiency of food and drink, with great regu- 
larity. A meal ten minutes later than the usual time, causes 
the animal to fret, and fretting lessens flesh. 



2202. Drink and Litter, — Most animals will drink several 
times a day, and should therefore have it as often as they want 
it. They should have plenty of clean litter as often as needed. 
With such management, there will be an. almost incredible 
saving of food. 

Tight Stables should always be ventilated. The breath and 
manure from animals always causes impure air. 



2203. Oocen. — Being well-mated, oxen are more easily 
trained ; and the more easily to effect this, much self-denial on 
the part of the driver, much coolness of temper, more training 
by motion and less by voice, may be highly advantageous to 
man and beast. 



2204. To Select. — Adopt the practice of selecting best 



CATTLE. 461 

lambs every year, for stock. In a few years you have first- 
rate sheep. The same course will produce the same effects 
in every kind of animal. 



2205. Hogs. — Food. — If pumpkins, roots, apples, or any 
of them be fed to fattening hogs with corn, the advantage will 
-^be salutary. Most of the food for swine should be cooked. 
•Swine fatten much faster on fermented, than on unfermented 
food. Salt, charcoal, and once in a while sulphur,, are excel- 
lent for hogs under all circumstances. 

Good Medicine. — When your hogs get sick, you know not 
of what, give them ears of corn, first dipped in tar, and then 
rolled in sulphur.. 



2206. Bees. — (See p. 116). — Every farmer should keep 
bees ; a few swarms to furnish honey for his own use, if no 
more. They toil with unremitting industry, asking but a full 
sweep of the wing, and no monopoly. Every man, in either 
town or country, can keep bees to advantage. 



220T. Care of Bees in Winter. — A cold, dry, dark room, is 
the best winter-quarters for bees. They will consume less 
honey than if left on their summer stands, and will not be weak- 
ened by the loss of thousands, which, tempted out by the pre- 
mature warmth, are caught by the cold winds, fall to the 
ground, and never rise again. 

2208. ^' Never kill a 6ee."— -The smoke of the fungus maxi- 
muSj or common puff ball, when dried so as to hold fire, has 
a stupefying effect on the bees, and renders them as harmless 
as brimstone does, without any of its deadly effects. 



2209. Mignonette^ Sweet. — Is especially .mentioned as easily 
cultivated by drills in a garden, and is one of the finest and rich- 
est Bowers in the world from which the honey-bee can extract 
its food. 



2210. iZbrses.— See page 199. 



2211. To cure Scratches on a Horse. — Wash the legs with 
warm strong soap-suds, and then with beef brine. Two ap- 
plications will cure the worst case. 



468 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

2212. Bite of a Spider. — Catnip bruised and applied to 
the wound, is said to be a cure for the bite of a spider. 



2213. To preserve a Granary from Insects and Weasels, — 
Make the floor of Lombardy poplars. 



2214. To prevent the Creaking of a Door. — Rub a bit of 
soap on the hinges. ^ • 



2215. Sulphur is valuable in preserving grapes, plants, &c., 
from insects. 



2216. Salt is really necessary to horses, cnttle, and sheep, 
and they should be supplied with it at regular stated intervals 
throughout all seasons of the year. 

22 lY. Manure, on a wet soil, produces but half its effect ; 
and gypsum, that grand stimulant of dry soils, on a wet one 
is useless. 



2218. nen-House should be warm in winter, well-ventila- 
ted, white-washed, and kept clean. For the floor, use slacked 
lime, fine gravel or ashes, or burnt oyster shells. (See page 200.) 

2219. A single dozen fowls, properly attended, will furnish 
a family with more than 2,000 eggs in a year, and 100 full- 
grown chickens for fall and winter stores. 

2220. Expense. — The expense of feeding the dozen fowls 
will not amount to 18 bushels of Indian corn. They may be 
kept in cities as well as in the country, and will do as well shut 
up the year round as to run at large, with proper care. 



2221. A Fact. — Eggs the nearest to roundness produce 
females, and those pointed at one end always produce males. 



2222. For Fattening. — Boiled Indian, wheat and barley, is 
better than oats, rye, or buckwheat. One-third is gained by 
boiling. 



2223. Eggs, little boiled or poached, in small quantity, con- 
vey much nourishment ; the yolk only should be eaten by in* 
valids 



CATTLE. 469 

2224. Salt for Poultry. — Salt is good for water-fowls, but 
death to land fowls and birds. • 



2225. Salt for Pigeons. — Pigeons are fond of salt, and it 
keeps them in health. Lay a large heap of clay near the 
house, and let the salt-brine that may be done with in the fam- 
ily be poured upon it. 



2226. To Fatten Foivls in a short time.~^i\x together 
ground rice well scalded with milk, and add some coarse sugar. 
Feed them with this in the day-time, but not too much at once ; 
let it be pretty thick. 



222T. Pork cured. — Soon as cool enough to cut, and before 
it freezes, pack a clean cask full, with plenty of salt on all 
side's of each piece. Fill up with water, taking care, by means 
of a large stone, to keep the pork under the pickle, and covered 
from flies, in a cellar. Never boil pickle. 



2228. Porlc Feeding. — It is a well-ascertained fact, that 
more meat will be made on half the weight of corn, if ground 
and made into mush instead of being fed whole. 



2229. In Smoking Hams, &c., be careful not to have -the 
fire too nigh, or the smoke-house too tight. It is best done 
in an upper story, to which the smoke is conveyed in tubes, 
from oak or maple chips in the cellar. (See p. 324.) 



2230. Holloio Horn. — Where supposed to exist, feed half- 
peck potatoes twice a week, and treat your cattle kindly in 
food and shelter. 



2231. Sheep must be fed well, kept dry, have salt often, 
and pure air, and be grazed in hilly stony pastures. 



2232. Cows. — Those who wish their cows to give largo 
messes of milk in the winter season, should give them warm 
drink. The extra trouble will be more than repaid in the in- 
creased quantity of milk. (See pp. 285-6.) 



2233. Wild Onion may be destroyed by cultivating corn, 
plowing and leaving the field in its plowed state all winter. 



no MRS. HALE*S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

2234. Rememher. — The great rule in relation to animals 
holds perfect in its application to vegetables ; breed only from 
the best animals ; defects and imperfections have always a 
tendency to propagate themselves^ and are always, in a greater 
or less degree, transmitted. 



2235. Wheat shoots strongest when there is an interval be- 
tween the time of plowing and sowing, but barley \^ most 
vegetative when sown immediately after the plow. 



2236. Grease Wheels. — Fifty parts, by weight, of pulverized 
black lead, 50 of lard, 50 of soap, and 5 of quicksilver. Rub 
the lard and mercury first together, then the lead and soap. If 
V7ell mixed, it is invaluable. 



223^. Plants, when drooping, are revived by a few grains 
of camphor. 



2238. Floiuers beginning to fade, can be restored by put- 
ting the stems in scalding water. 



2239. Bacon Hams in Summer. — Pack in a barrel, in clean 
dvj ashes or charcoal ; head up the barrel and put it where it 
is dry, and as cool as possible. 



2240. Timber cut in the spring and exposed to the weather 
with the bark on, decays much sooner than that cut in the fall. 

> 

2241. In Feeding with corn, 60 lbs. ground goes as far as 
100 lbs. in the kernel. 



2242. Apples. — Experiments show apples to be equal to 
potatoes to improve hogs, and decidedly profitable for fatten- 
ing cattle. 



2243. Pears are greatly improved by grafting on the moun- 
tain ash. 



2244. Bats and other vermin are kept away from grain by 
ft sprinkling of garlic when packing the sheaves. 



GRASS — TREES. 471 

2245. Wet Land. — Money skillfully expended in drying 
land, by draining or otherwise, will be retiinied with ample 
interest. 



2246. Grass. — Sweet and nutritions grass gives a richness 
and flavor to milk, attainable from no otlier source. 



224T. Curing Fodder,' — Bundles may be so placed around 
centre-poles as to form a hollow-stack, having a foundation of 
brush, sticks, &c., admitting a circulation of air that will tho- 
roughly cure fodder in the shade. 

2248. Turnips of small size have double the nutritious mat- 
ter that large ones have. 



2249. Buta Baga is the only root that increases in nutri- 
tious qualities as it increases in size. 



2250. In transplanting trees, the hole should not be pro- 
portioned to the extent of the roots as they are, but to their 
extent as they may he and should he. 



2251. Toads are the very best protection of cabbages against 
lice. ' 



2252. Beach Trees are protected from hard winters by co- 
vering the roots a foot deep with straw, in January, after the 
ground has become thoroughly frozen, which keeps the frost 
in the ground, and so prevents the sap from starting until the 
Spring is fairly opened. 



2253. Save your Fire Wood. — Mr. Madison, in his Notes 
of Agriculture, says, '' Of all the errors in our rural economy, 
none perhaps is to be so much regretted, because none so diffi- 
cult to be repaired, as the excessive and injudicious destruc- 
tion of fire-wood. 



. 2254. Sorrel may be killed out by lime, while ashes have no 
effect on it. 



2255. Shumac or Sumac, a poisonous shrub or plant, which 
grows wild in abundance, and frequently where nothing else 



472 MRS. bale's receipts foe the million. 

will, is used for dyeing in England, at the rate of thirteen 
thousand tons per annum. It might be made a source of 
profit to our farmers. 



GARDEjSTII^G 

(see page 291.) 
2256. Kitchen Garden. — This is one of the most important 
parts of general domestic economy, whenever the situation of 
a house will permit a family to avail themselves of its assist- 
ance, in aid of butcher's bills. 



225T. It is, indeed, much to be regretted that small plots 
of ground, in the immediate vicinity of the metropolis more 
especially, arc too often frittered away into shrubberies and 
baby gardens, when they might more usefully be employed in 
raising vegetables for the family, during the week-day resi- 
dence in town, than wasting their sweetness on the smoky air 
in all the pride of lilac, hollyhock, and bachelors' buttons, to 
be merely smelled to, by the whole immigrating household ou 
the day of rest. 



2258. With a little care and attention, a kitcnen-garden, 
though small, might be rendered not only useful, but in fact, 
as ornamental as a modern grass carpet ; and the same 
expense incurred to make the ground a labyrinth of sweets, 
might suffice to render it agreeable to the palate, as well as to 
the olfactory nerves, and that even without. offending the most 
delicate optics. 



2259. It is only in accordance with our plan to give the 
hint, and to record such novel points as may facilitate the 
proposed arrangement. 



2260. It is one objection to the adoption of a kitchen gar- 
den in front of the dwelling, or in sight of the family apart- 
ments, that its very nature makes it rather an eye-sore than 
otherwise at all seasons. 



2261. This, however, is an objection that may be readily 
got over by a little attention to neatness and good order, 
whilst the plants themselves, if judiciously attended to, and 



DRYING HERBS. 4t3 

the borders sown or planted with ranur>culus, polyanthus, mig- 
nionette, &c., in succession, will really be ornamental. 



2262. But then, in cutting the plants for use, the business 
must be done neatly, all useless leaves cleared from the ground, 
the roots no longer wanted taken up, and the ravages of in- 
sects to be guarded against by sedulous extirpation. It will 
also be found a great improvement, where space will admit of 
it, to surround the beds with neat espaliers, with fruit trees, 
or even gooseberry and currant bushes trained along them, 
instead of these being suffered to grow in a state of ragged 
wildness. 



DRYING HERBS. 

2263/ Fresh herbs are preferable to dried ones, but as they 
cannot always be obtained, it is most important to dry herbs 
at the proper seasons : — 



2264. Basil is in a fit state for drying about the middle of 
August. 



2265. Burret in June, July, and August. 

2266. Chervil in May, June, and July. 
226T. Elder Flowers in May, June, and July. 

2268. Fennel in May, June, and July. 

2269. Knotted Marjoram during July. 

2210. Lemon Thyme end of July, and through August. 

22U. 3Iint end of June and July 

2212. Orange Flowers May, June, and July. 

2213. Orange Thyme (a delicious. herb), June and July. 

2214. Parsley May, June, and July 



414 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

2215. Sage, August and September 



2216. Summer Savory, end of July and August. 

2211. Tarragon, June, July, and August. 

2218. Thyme, end of July and August. 

2219. Winter Savory, end of July and August. 

2280. These herbs always at hand will be a great aid to the 
cook. 



2281. Herbs should be gathered on a dry day ; they should 
be immediately well cleansed, and dried by the heat of a stove, 
or Dutch oven. 



2282. The leaves should then be picked off, pounded and 
sifted, and put away for use. 



PROPERTIES AND USES OF VEGETABLES. 
2283. Parsley is very cooling and softening. 



2284. Catnip is a warm herb, of a diaphoretic or sweating 
nature. 



2285. Pennyroyal is much the same, only more powerful. 
It retains a very powerful pungent oil. 



2286. Spearmint is pungent and hot, but of an astringent 
nature. 



2281. Calamint is much the same, but not so strong. 



2288. Hoarhound is very strengthening to the lungs, and 
is somewhat of a pectoral. It is excellent in a cough, or stop- 
age in the stomach. 



2289. Everlasting, or Indian Posey, is a verv balsamic 



PROPERTIES AND USES OF VEGETABLES. 4'j5 

herb — healing and cooling, and excellent in salves or oint- 
ment. 



2290. Jolinswort is much the same. 



2291. Pea Balm is a cooling and sweating herb, and is 
good in fevers and inflammations. 



2292. Chamomile is a great restorative to the lungs, and 
promotes perspiration. It is good in salves and ointments to 
take awaj swellings. 

2293. Mayweed is of a pectoral nature, and is good for a 
pain in the side. 

2294. Garden Coltsfoot is a great restorative to the lungs, 
and is good in syrups for coughs. 



2295. Melilot is good in salves and ointments for swellings 
and inflammations. It is mollifying and cooling. 

2296. Sage is the greatest restorative to human nature of 
any herb that grows. 



2297. Bloodroot is a very powerful emetic or purge : steeped 
in spirits, it will serve for an emetic ; and boiled in fair water 
it serves as a purge. 



2298. Mandi^ake root is an excellent physic, dried and 
pounded. 



2299. Cumfrey and Spikenard are so well known that they 
need no describing. 



2300. Elecampane is good in coughs, yet it is an astrin- 
gent. 



2301. Craneshill is an astringent, and excellent in cankers. 



2302. Whiteroot is of a physical nature, and is good to 
remove wind pent in the stomach, or part of the bowels. 



^6 MRS. HALES RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

2303. Sassafras root is good for the blood. 



2304. So also are Sarsaparilla, Horse Badish, Burdock 
roots. Elder .roots. 



2305. Hop roots, and Wild Coltsfoot are good as pectorals. 



2306. WJiife and Telloiv Pond Lily roots, the same. 



230T. Winter^s Bark. — This is the product of one of the 
the largest trees on Terra del Fuego. It is good in dropsy 
and scurvy. 

2308. • Wild Jenton is a strong cathartic, when boiled. 



VEGETABLES TO CULTIVATE. 

2309. Artichoke. — Sow early in the Spring, in rows three 
inches apart, or plant suckers. 



2310. Asparagus. — Sow in April, in good rich soil. 



2311. Beans. English Dwarfs. — -Plant as early in the 
Spring as the ground will work. 



2312. Kidney Dwarfs. — Plant from end of April to about 



20th August. 



2313. Pole or Punning. — Plant beginning of May, and at 
intervals through the season. 



2314. Beets. — Sow in drills, from early in the Spring till 
the middle of Summer. Leave the plants 6 to 8 inches apart 
in the drills. 



2315. Borecole is an excellent green. Sow in Fall, either 
broadcast or in drills, as for Winter Spinach. 



2316. Brussels Sprouts are cultivated for the small heads, 
which are attached to the stem. Sow in the middle of Spring, 
and treat as AVinter Cabba-2:e. 



VEGETABLES TO CULTIVATE. 4t7 

23n. Brocoli produces heads like cauliflower. Sow in 
seed bed about the middle of Spring. Transplant in rich 
ground when 8 or 12 inches high, and treat as Winter Cab- 
bage. 



2318. Cabbage. — For early cabbage, sow in Autumn, in 
seed beds. Protect during Winter ; transplant early in the 
Spring. For late Cabbage, sow in seed bed, middle of Spring. 
Transplant early in Summer. 



2319. Cardoon is much used for salads, soups, and stews. 
Treated much like Celery. 



2320. Cauliflower. — Sow, for early, in seed beds, in Au- 
tumn ; protect from frost, in cold frames, and transplant in 
rich ground after frost ceases. For late, manage as Brocoli. 

2321. Carrots should be sown early in the Spring, in deep- 
dug and well-manured ground, in drills twelve or eighteen 
inches apart. 

2322. Celery should be sown early in the Spring, in light 
rich moist soil. Transplant in trenches, highly manured, when 
about six inches high. Blanch by earthing up as they advance 
in growth. 

2323. Chervil. — A small salad. Sow early in the Spring, 
and after heat of Summer. 



2324. Cress. — Used as a salad. Sow very thick, in shallow 
drills, at intervals through the season. 



2325. Corn Salad. — Used as a salad during the Winter 
and Spring. Sow thick, in drills, about ]st of September, 
and cover with straw on the approach of cold. 

2326. Cucumbers should be planted first week in May, in 
hills four feet apart ; prepare the ground by incorporating a 
shovelful of rotten dung in each hill. 

232t. Endive. — Sow last of Spring to middle of Summer, 
in shallow drills. 



478 MRS. bale's RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

2328. Egg-Plant. — Sow in hot-beds early in the Sprin^i^ ; 
transplant in rich warm gronnd late in the Spring, about 30 
inches apart. Egg-plant seed will not vegetate freely without 
a substantial heat. 



2329. Lettuce should be sown in seed bed, in the middle of 
September ; protect the plants through the Winter, and early 
in the Spring transplant in rich ground ; or sow in hot-beds, 
in March, and at intervals throughout the season. 



2330. IfeZon.— Plant in hills, in light sandy earth, about 
the first week in May. 



2331. Mushroom Spawn should be planted in hot-beds of 
dung, covered with earth. 



2332. Mustard. — Sown like Cress, and used for a salad. 



2333. Nastmiium, — Sow in May. The flowers and young 
leaves are used as a salad ; the seed-pods, with foot-stalk, 
are gathered whilst green, and pickled as a substitute for ca- 
pers. 



2334. Okra^ or Gomho, is one of the best of vegetables. 
Plant in May. The seed should be sown thick, as it is liable 
to rot in the ground. Yery rich ground is required. 

2335. Onions should be sown in drills, early in the Spring, 
in rich ground, thin, to stand two or three inches apart. 



2336. Parsley should be sown early in the Spring. Soak 
in warm water before sowino;. 



2337. Parsnip. — Sow in drills 18 inches apart, in good and 
deep-dug ground, early in the Spring. 



2338. Peas.— The best soil for Peas is a light loam. The 
early sorts require noh. ground. Sow in drills as early in the 
Spring as the ground will work. 



2339. Pepper. — Sow late in Spring, in drills, on a warm 



VEGETABLES TO CULTIVATE. , 4t9 

border ; or in a frame or hot-bed, in March ; set out plants 
eighteen inches apart. 

2340. Pumpkin, — The Mammoth Pumpkin has been grown 
to the enormous weight of 225 pounds. Plant early in May, 
in rich soil, in hills, eight to ten feet apart each way. 



' 2341. Hadish. — The early kinds should be sown as soon as 
the ground can be worked, in a sheltered situation. 



2342. Bhubarb should be sown in Autumn or early in the 
Spring; when in the latter, transplant in the ensuing Spring 
to desired situation. The stems are used for tarts, and are fit 
for use before green fruit can be obtained, being a very desir- 
able substitute. 



2343. Salsify, or Vegetable Oyster, should be sown during 
April. The roots boiled, made into cakes with paste, and 
fried like oysters, much resembles them. 



2344. Spinach should be sown as soon as the ground can 
be worked. The soil cannot be too rich for Spinach. 



3345. Squash, — Cultivate same as Cucumber. 



2346. Tomato. — Sow in hills three feet apart, on a warm bor 
der, early in the Spring. As the plants advance in growth 
give them support. 



2347. Turnip. — For summer use, sow early in the Spring, 
For main crop, sow close of Summer. The Ruta Baga requires 
more time to mature, and should be sown at midsummer. 



2348. Aromatic and Sweet Herbs. — Anise, Brazil, (sweet). 
Caraway, Coriander, *Fennel, *Lavender, Marygold, Pot, 
Marjorum, (sweet), *Sage, Summer Savory, *Winter Savory, 
*Thyme, *Mint, ^Rosemary, Dill. 



2349. Those marked with a * are perennial, and when once 
obtained, may be preserved for years. The others are annual. 



480 MRS, hale's receipts for the million. 



FRUIT TREES AND FRUIT. 

2350. Fruits, ia a ripe and perfect state, are beneficial to 
health, if not eaten to excess. 



2351. Stunted trees never become vigorous, nor when too 
long crowded in nurseries. 



2352. In Orafting, 25 well placed are better than 100 grafts 
placed at random, and ten placed injudiciously will change the 
whole top of a tree in a few years, when 200 grafts may be so 
scattered as not materially to change the top of the tree or its 
fruit. Graft only on such as are sound and vigorous. 

2353. naggling off limbs and branches and leaving stumps 
on the trees, which rot oft' and let the water into the trunk, 
soon destroys the tree ; therefore, always cut or saw off smooth, 
when the wound will heal and the bark grow over. 



2354. Sound, vigorous trees, and no other, should be set 
out, as they take no more trouble or space than the worthless 
ones. 



2355. Budding should only be done with fresh buds, on 
very small stocks of vigorous growth. Begin after sap starts, 
until 1st June. Later will do. Make incision like a T ; 
raise the corners and insert the bud with as little of the wood 
as possible, and bandage, not too tight, for three weeks. 



2356. Scions may be cut in February or March, before or 
at the time the buds begin to swell ; or take grafts size of a 
pipe-stem, from bearing branches, not from side shoots nor 
the rank growth of the top. Put in earth one-third their 
length, keep from frost, and occasionally sprinkle, to prevent 
shriveling, but not so wet as to sprout them. 



235 Y. Composition. — Resin 8 oz., beeswax, 3 oz.; melt up 
with lard, and work it like shoemaker^s wax ; for wounds made 
in pruning or grafting. 

2358. Split the stock, drive in a wedge six or eight inches long, 



FRUIT TREES AND FRUIT 



481 



open the split so as to admit the graft freely ; sharpen end of 
graft and insert, matching the wood of graft and wood of the 
stock ; remove the wedge carefully, and cover smooth over 
with composition, tight, to exclude air, and the sap will force 
its way to the graft. 

2359. Seed. — Select from healthy trees, sound, ripe and fair 
fruit, and place in sand, in a cellar or other cool, damp place, 
until time to plant. If kept too dry, they seldom vegetate. 
Let the soil be good, well worked, not too wet ; cover up and 
press the ground moderately over. Plant in Fall, before the 
ground is frozen, or in Spring, soon as the ground can be 
worked. 



2360. Soil — Low, wet or marshy ground is not suitable. 
Soil appropriat'ie for crops of grain, is also adapted to the cul- 
tivation of fruit trees, shrubs or vines. Occasional digging, 
mellowing the ground, keeping down underbrush and weeds, 
and manuring, are beneficial. 

2361. Cleanliness is essential. Destroy all caterpillars, 
noxious worms and insects, and prune off all affected parts. 
Scrape off -all rough, ragged bark and moss, and wash well 
with soap-suds or cover with a coat of limewash. Remove 
all suckers from the roots, side branches and excrescences. 



2362. Grubs, which occasion disease, may be prevented by 
coating the roots and lower trunk, about July 1, with tar, 
train oil, or whitewash, and sprinkling a little lime, ashes, or 
soap-suds, on the ground around the tree. When seriously 
affected, dig the earth from the roots near the surface, and 
search thoroughly in the bark for the grub ; cleanse off the 
gum, &c., wash with ley or soap-suds, or rub dry ashes over 
them, and close up with good fresh earth. Doing this as oc- 
casion requires, will ensure health and vigor. 



2363. Slugs and Snails are great enemies to every kind of 
garden-plant, whether flower or vegetable ; they wander in the 
night to feed, and return at daylight to their haunts ; the 
shortest and surest direction is, " Rise early, catch them, and 
kill them.''— (See p. 281.) 
31 



482 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

2364. Another way. — Lay cabbage leaves about the ground, 
jspecially on the beds which they frequent. Every morning 
examine these leaves, and you will find a great many taking 
refup^e beneath. 



2365. Caterpillars and Aphides. — A garden syringe or 
engine, with a cap on the pipe full of very minute holes, will 
wash away these disagreeable visitors very quickly. You 
must bring the pipe close to the plant, and pump bard, so as 
to have considerable force on, and the plant, however badly 
infested, will soon be cleared without receiving any injury. — 
(See p. 2n.) 



2366. Bake the Earth. — Every time that you use the 
syringe or garden-engine, you must immediately rake the earth 
under the trees, and kill the insects you have dislodged, or 
many will recover and climb up the stems of the^ plants. 



23 6T. Qruhs on Orchard Trees. — Make a bonfire with dry 
sticks and weeds on the windward side of the orchard, so that 
the smoke may blow among the trees ; you will destroy thou- 
sands ; for the grubs have such an objection to smoke, that 
very little of it makes them roll themselves up and fall off; 
they must be swept up afterward. 



2368. Wasps destroy a good deal of fruit, but every pair 
of wasps killed in spring saves the trouble and annoyance of 
a swarm in autumn. 



2369. Butterflies and Moths, however pretty, are the worst 
enemies one can have in a garden ; a single insect of this kind 
may deposit eggs enough to overrun a tree with caterpillars, 
therefore they should be destroyed at any cost of trouble. 



23^0. The only moth that you must spare, is the common 
black and red one ; the grubs of this feed exclusively on groun- 
sel, and are therefore a valuable ally of the gardener. 



23T1. Earwigs are very destructive insects ; their favorite 
food is the petals of roses, pinks, dahlias, and other flowers. 

23T2. To kill Earwigs. — They may be caught by driving 



FRXriT TREES AND FRUIT. 483 

ptakes into the ground, and placing on each an inverted flower- 
pot ;-the earwigs will climb up and take refuge under it, when 
they may be taken out and killed. — (See p. 219.) 

23 Y 3. Or very deep holes may be made in the ground with a 
crowbar, into these they will fall, and may be destroyed by 
boiling water. 



2314. Toads are among the best friends the gardener has ; 
for they live almost exclusively on the most destructive kinds 
of vermin. 



2315. The Eose Slug. — A new and sure mode to destroy 
these insects, either when as a fly laying its eggs, or as a slug, 
is the foUowins: : — 



2316. Whale Oil Soap, dissolved at the rate of two pounds 
to fifteen gallons of water. 

2311. Mode of Preparation, — Take whatever quantity of 
soap you wish to prepare, and dissolve it in boiling water, 
about one quart to a pound ; in this way strain it through a 
fine wire or hair sieve, which takes out the dirt, prevents its 
stopping the valves of the engine, or the nose of the syringe ; 
then add cold water to make it the proper strength. 



2318. How to use it. — Apply it to the rose-bush with a hand 
engine or syringe, with as much force as practicable, and be 
sure that every part of the .leaves is well saturated with the 
liquid. What falls to the ground in application, will do good 
in destroying the worms and enriching the soil, and from its 
trifling cost, it can be used with profusion. 



2319. The cost.— A hogshead of 136 gallons costs forty- 
five cents — not quite four mills per gallon. Early in the morn- 
ing, or in the evening, is the proper time to apply it to the 
plants. 



2380. Mildew on the Gooseberry, Peach, Grape-vine, &c., 
is checked and entirely destroyed by a weak dressing of the 
solution. 



484 MRS. HALE^S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

2381. The Canker Worm. — Laying soap oil on the trunk 
and branches of the tree, at the consistency of thick paint, de- 
stro5"s the brown, scaly insect on the bark, and gives the 
tree a smooth, glossy, and healthy appearance. 



2382. To free Plants from Leaf- Lice. —Mix one ounce of 
flowers of sulphur with one bushel of sawdust ; scatter this 
over the plants infected with these insects, and they will soon 
be freed, though a second application may possibly be neces- 
sary. 



2383. Keeping Fruits. — The three best of eight different 
modes fairly tried, are, 1, covering in pure dry sand ; 2, in dry 
fern ; 3, in a deal box buried in the earth. In all cases to be 
kept cool. 



2384. Sunflower yielAs 140 bushels per acre, and each 
bushel one gallon of good oil. Its leaves furnish provender ; 
its seeds, food for poultry and hogs. It thrives on poor soils. 



2385. To prepare a cheap Hortus Siccus. — All the small 
plants should be expanded under water, in a plate, on a piece 
of writing-paper. In this state they will assume their natural 
form and position. Then withdraw the paper with the plant 
gently from the water, and place them between sheets of blot- 
ting-paper, and press them with a book or flat board. When 
dry, it may be placed on writing-paper. 



PAET X. 
PERSONAL MATTERS. 

Dress of Ladies — Dress of Gentlemen — Manners — Etiquette 
of Society — Dinner Parties — Courtship — Marriage — The 
Ceremony — After Marriage — Social Intercourse — '* Our 
House f^^ etc. 

2386. Importance of Dress. — Attention to personal appear- 
ance is a human duty as well as a required observance in civil- 
ized society. 



DRESS OF LADIES. 485 

238T. The following rules will be found useful in guiding 
the judgment and taste of those who desire to dress well. 



DRESS OF LADIES. 

2388. A young lady should always be neatly attired A 
fresh-looking and well-fitting dress is more important than 
rich materials or showy ornaments. 



2389. Never furbish up old finery, if you wish to appear 
really the lady. A clean, soft, white muslin gown is far more 
genteel than a tarnished brocade. 

2390. Colors and Complexions. — The great art, as regards 
colors of dress, is to enhance the tints of the complexion, care 
being taken to let the flesh appear of a healthy natural hue, 
and to avoid wearing those colors which heighten or destroy 
either the red, yellow, or white, in the natural flesh tints. 



2391. Primitive Colors, — Out of three primitive colors, 
red, blue, and yellow, there are endless mixtures and varia- 
tions, and some of these can skillfully be adapted to any com- 
plexion ; but to do so, these two rules must be observed : the 
rule of Harmony and of judicious Contrast. 



2392. Decided Colors, or colors without mixture, are very 
unbecoming. A lady all blue in dress would be more dis- 
agreeable than a real bleu, . 

2393. Eed, and its dark variations, may be worn by dark 
persons, and will harmonize with their complexion. 

2394. Crimson and brillliant red are vulgar and unsuitable, 
but purple and dark maroon, worn by brunettes, and persons 
of a dark complexion, are both becoming and genteel, either 
in evening or winter dresses. 

2395. Blue is a becoming color to fair faces and blue eyes. 
It also looks well worn by brunettes, when the wearer is 
youthful. 



486 MRS. bale's receipts for tee million. 

2396. Light blue is a beautiful color for spring dresses ; 
dark blues look better in the autumn and winter. 



2391. Red Colors. — Light red and pink, approaching flesh 
tints, are becoming both to dark and to fair ; to the former 
especially, because they, by contrast, set off the complexion. 

2398. Fair persons venturing upon such dresses or trim- 
mings by daylight, should have clear and excellent complexions, 
or the brightness of the color, from a similarity of tint, will 
make their faces appear dirty and clouded. 

2399. Chocolate colors, and warm browns partaking of red, 
may be worn by either fair or dark persons, provided they be 
not too pale, in which case the contrast will render the face 
chalky or death-like. 

2400. Tellow in dress, as well as orange, is also more be- 
coming to dark than to fair persons. 

2401. Primrose is becoming to fair persons. The trim- 
mings of this color, the flowers and ribbons, should be violet, 
such contrast being agreeable to art and nature. 



2402. Maize color is becoming to all complexions, especially 
to those which are brilliant. 



2403. Grain is more becoming to fair than to dark per- 
sons, because in the fair complexion, brilliancy and depth of 
color are more frequently found. 

2404. Pale green should never be worn by the dark, it ren- 
dering them sickly and cadaverous in look. To those of a fair 
and brilliant complexion it is most becoming. 



2405. Trimmings. — For trimmings and flowers ladies can- 
not do better than to study nature, there being in the leaves 
of flowers every imaginable tint of green, whilst the flowers 
themselves are various in their hue. 



2406. Artificials should be few, and perfectly arranged, 
load of flowers is a burden, not a beauty 



DBB«S OF LADIES. 48^ 

240^. The most elegant dresses are black or white. 



2408. A vulgar girl wears bright and glaring colors, fan- 
tastically made, a large flaring, red, yellow, or sky-blue hat, 
covered with a rainbow of ribbons, and all the rings and trin- 
kets she can load upon her. 



2409. In any assemblage, the most plainly-dressed woman 
is sure to be the most lady-like and attractive. Neatness is 
better than richness, and plainness better than display. 



2410. It is a general rule, applicable to both sexes, that 
persons are the best dressed when you cannot remember how 
they were dressed. Avoid every thing out of the way, uncom- 
mon, or grotesque. 

» 

2411. Single ladies dress less in fashionable society than 
married ones ; and all more plainly and substantially for walk- 
ing or traveling, than on other occasions. 



2412. Common modesty should prevent indecent exposure 
of the shoulders and bosom. 



2413. Tight Lacing. — No woman who laces tight can have 
good shoulders, a straight spine, good lungs, sweet breath, or 
is tit to be a wife and mother. 



2414. Can it be a pleasant sight to behold a woman cut iu 
two in the middle, as it were, like a wasp ? On the contrary, 
it is as shocking to the eye as it is painful to the imagination. 



2415. Every thing that confines and lays nature under a 
restraint is an instance of bad taste. This is as true in regard 
to the ornaments of the body as to the embellishments of the 
mind. 

2416. Life, health, reason, and convenience, ought to be 
taken first into consideration. 



241*7. Gracefulness cannot subsist without ease ; delicacy is 
not debility ; nor must a woman be sick in order to please. 



488 Mi^s. hale's receipts for the million. 

2418. The distinction of the sexes, notwithstanding that it 
is so prominent and marked, still refquires a distinctive dress. 
This has generally, by all nations, civilized or savage, been 
conceded. 

2419. This difference has been so permanent, that any at- 
tempt to lessen it — and there have been many — has failed, 
and must fail whenever attempted. 



2420. Eohes. — The outer garment of woman is, and has 
been for centuries, the robe or gown, and upon the proper 
choice, make, and disposition of this, and its concomitants, 
depends the elegance or inelegance of the wearer. 



2421. The gown should fall gracefully from the hips,^s free 
as possible from the odious ''bustle" or*' hoop." It should 
fall in long full folds, and expand gradually to the feet, which 
it should touch, but not entirely cover. 



2422. Flounces should only be worn by those of a tall, 
graceful figure, and then they should be made of a light mate- 
rial, gauze, muslin, or of stuff akin to it, so that they fall in 
gracefully with the outline of the dress. When made of any 
rich stuff,' which stands out stiffly, they break the graceful flow 
of the dress. 

2423. Flounces, by marking the height, at regular intervals, 
take away from it, and make a short figure look shorter. For 
this reason, short persons should not wear stripes running in 
parallel rings round the dress. Perpendicular stripes upon a 
dress make the wearer look taller, like the flutes in a com- 
posite. 

2424. The rules which we have given for the color of the 
dress, must of course apply to the covering for the head ; the 
colors must, to look well, contrast or harmonize with the com- 
plexion. - 

24^. Texture, material, and pattern, should suit, not only 
the taste, but also the purse. There are few greater evils in 
this country than an inordinate passion for dress. 



DRESS OF LADIES. 489 

2426. No one looks so well dressed as those who are 
dressed properly, neatly, and whose attire sets them at their 
ease. A lady who is so over-dressed as to be constantly 
afraid of spoiling her gown, can never be graceful, since she 
cannot be at her ease. 



242T. The hair should always be neatly brushed and ar- 
ranged. 

2428. Binglets make round faces look longer, and more 
oval ; plain bands make the face which is too long, lose part 
of that length. This should be studied. It is manifestly ab- 
surd torender oneself hideous merely to follow the fashion. 

2429. The dress of the foot is important both for beauty 
and health. 



2430. Thus, a thin shoe in winter would be vulgar, because 
useless and dangerous to the wearer's health, and a thick boot 
in summer would be gauche and vulgar. 



2431. Boots and shoes should be well, nay, scientifically 
made. The foot should be fitted \^ell, but not compressed. 



2432. Modern boots and shoes are therefore often made 
narrow, just where they should be wide ; and the foot, instead 
of being beautiful in shape, and graceful in its action, becomes 
long, narrow, distorted, and ungraceful when used. 

2433. Gloves must be fresh and well-fitting to make the 
dress perfect. 



2434. Ladhes dresses should be chosen so as to produce an 
agreeable harmony. 



^435. Never put on a dark-colored bonnet with a light 
spring costume. 



2436. Avoid uniting colors which will suggest an epigram ; 
such as a straw-colored dress with a green bonnet. 



243T. The arrangement of the hair is most important. 



490 MR«. bale's receipts for the million. 

2438. Bands are becoming to faces of a Grecian caste. 



2439. Ringlets better suit lively and expressive heads. 



2440. Whatever be your style of face, avoid an excess of 
lace, and let flowers be few and choice. 



2441. In a married woman, a richer style of ornament is 
admissible 



2442. Costly elegance for the married — for the young girl, 
a style of modest simplicity. 

2443. The most elegant dress loses its character if it is not 
worn with grace. 



2444. Young girls have often an air of constraint, and their 
dress seems to partake of their want -of ease.- 



2445. In speaking of her toilet, a w^oman should not con- 
vey the idea that ^her whole skill consists in adjusting tastefully 
some trifling ornaments. 



2446. A simple st34e of dress is an indication of modesty. 



244t. Neatness. — The hands should receive special atten- 
tion. They are the outward signs of general cleanliness. The 
same may be said of the face, the neck, the ears, and the 
teeth. 



2448. The cleanliness of the system generall}^, and of bodily 
apparel, pertains to Health, and will be treated of under this 
head. 



2449. The Handkerchief.' — There is considerable art in 
using this accessory of dress and comfort. 



2450. Avoid extreme patterns, styles, and colors 



2451 Never be without a handkerchief. 



DRESS OF LADIES. 491 

2452. Hold it freely in the hand, and do not roll it into a 
ball. Hold it by the centre, and let the corners form a fan-, 
like expansion. 



2453. Avoid using it too much. With some x)ersons the 
habit becomes troublesome and unpleasant. 



2454. A word to Toun^ Ladies. — If you have blue eyes, you 
need not languish. • 



2455. If black eyes, you need not stare. 



2456. If you have pretty feet, there is no occasion to wear 
short petticoats. 



2457. If you are doubtful as to that point, there can be no 
harm in letting them be long. 



2458. If you have good teeth, do not laugh for the purpose 
of showing them. 



2459. If you have bad ones, do not laugh less than the oc- 
casion may justify. 



2460. If you have pretty hands and arms, there can be no 
objection to your "playing on the harp, if you play well. 



2461. If they- are disposed to be clumsy, work tapestry. 

2462. If you have a bad voice, speak in a rather low tone. 



2463. If you have the finest voice in the world, never speak 
in a high tone. 



2464. If you dance well, dance bat seldom. 



2465. If you dance ill, never dance at all. 



2466. If you sing well, make no previous excuses. 

246T. If ^^ou sing indifferently, hesitate not a moment when 



492 MRS. bale's keceipts for the million. 

you are asked, for few people are judges of singing, but every 
.one is sensible of a desire to please. 



2468. If you would preserve beauty, rise early. 



2469. If you would preserve esteem, be gentle. 



24 to. If you would obtain power, be condescending. 



2i1l. If you would live happy, endeavor to promote the 
happiness of others. 



DRESS OF A GENTLEMAN. 

24 Y 2. Since dress is, with the world, the outward sign of 
both character and condition: and since it costs no more to 
dress well than ill, and is not very troublesome, every one 
should endeavor to do the best that his circumstances will 
allow. 



24Y3. The Shirt. — A clean, unrurapled shirt, coarse or 
line, cotton or linen, as you can afford, is of the first import- 
ance. If the choice is between a fine shirt or a fine coat, have 
the shirt by all means. 



2414. Fine Linen, and a good hat, gloves and boots are 
evidences of the highest taste in dress. 



2415. A gentleman walking should always wear gloves, this 
being one of the characteristics of good breeding. 



2416. Upon public and State occasions, officers should appear 
in uniform. 



2418. A black coat and trowsers are indispensable for a 
visit of ceremony, an entertainment, or a ball. 



2419. The white or black waistcoat is equally proper in 
these cases. 



2480. Yellow or white gloves are worn iu the ball-room. 



DRESS OF A GENTLEMAN. 493 

2481. A neat exterior, equally free from extravagance and 
poverty, almost always proclaims a right-minded man. 



2482. To dress appropriately, and with good taste, is to 
respect yourself and others. 



2483. Neatness. — A well-bred man may be ever so reduced 
in his wardrobe — his clothes may be coarse and threadbare, 
but he seldom wears a coarse, and fiever a dirty shirt. 



2484. The Boots. — Boots are now men's common wear on 
all occasions, varying in elegance for different purposes. They 
should always be clean, and invariably well blackened and 
polished. 

2485. The Hat. — Make a point of buying a good hat. One 
proper fur hat, worth four or five dollars, when a year old, looks 
more respectable than a silk -one bought yesterday. 



2486. Of the trowsers little need be said. When full at the 
bottom they serve to hide a large foot. If colored trowsers 
are worn, those patterns should be chosen which conform to tho 
rules of taste. Bars running across the legs should be avoided, 
and also all large staring patterns. 



248T. The Vest allows of some fancy, but beware of being 
too fanciful. A black satin is proper for any person or any 
occasion. Nothing is more elegant than pure white. Some 
quiet colors may be worn for variety, but beware of every 
thing staring or glaring, in materials or trimmings. 

2488. Avoid all singularity in dress ; never wear gaudy 
^vaistcoats, out-of-the-way hats, or coats of the extreme of 
** sporting fashion :'* such things are positively odious. 



2489. We may add a few general maxims, applied to both 
sexes. 

2490. *'A11 affectation in dress," says Chesterfield, 'implies 
a flaw in the understanding.'' One should therefore avoid 
being singular, or eccentric. 



49* MRS., bale's receipts for the million. 

2491. Never dress against any one. Choose those garments 
which suit you, and look well upon you, perfectly irrespective 
of the fact that a lady or- gentleman in the same village or 
street may excel you. 

2492. When dressed for company, strive to appear as easy 
and natural as if you were in undress. 



2493. Dress according to your age. It is both painful and 
ridiculous to see an old lady dressed as a belle of four-and- 
twenty ; or an old fellow, old enough for a grandfather, affect- 
ing the costume and the manners of a beau. 



2494. Young men should be well dressed. Not foppishly, 
but neatly and well. An untidy person at five-and-twenty, 
degenerates, very frequentlv, into a sloven and a boor at 
fifty. 

2495. Be not too negligent, nor too studied, in your attire. 



2496. Let your behavior and conversation suit the clothes 
you wear, so that those who know you may feel that, after all, 
dress and external appearance is the least portion of a lady 

or GENTLE]VIAN. 



MANNERS. 

249Y. It is sometimes objected to books upon etiquette, 
that they cause those who consult them to act with mechanical 
restraint, and to show in society that they are governed by 
arbitrary rules, rather than by an intuitive perception of what 
is graceful and polite. 

2498. This objection is unsound, because it supposes that 
people who study the theory of etiquette, do not also exercise 
their powers of observation in society, and obtain^ by their in- 
tercourse with others, that freedom and ease of deportment, 
whic^h society alone can impart. 



2499. Books upon etiquette are useful, inasmuch as that 
they expound the laws of polite society. Experience alone, 



mXnners. 495 

however, can give effect to the precise manner In which those 
laws are required to be observed. 

2500. Whatever objections may be raised to the teachings 
of works upon etiquette, there can be no sound argument 
against a series of simple and brief hints, which shall operate 
as precautions against mistakes in personal conduct. 



2501. Avoid intermeddling with the affairs of others. This 
is a most common fault. 



2502. A number of people seldom meet but they begin dis- 
cussing the affairs of some one who is absent. This is not only 
uncharitable but positively unjust. It is equivalent to trying 
a cause in the absence of the person implicated. 



*'2503. Even in the criminal code, a prisoner is presumed to 
be innocent until he is found guilty. Society, however, is less 
just, and passes judgment without hearing the defense. 



2504. Depend upon it, as a certain rule, that the people icho 
unite with you in discussing the affairs of others ^ will proceed 
to scandalize you the moment that you depart. 



2505. Be consistent in the avowal of principles. Do not 
deny to-day, that which you asserted yesterday. You may 
fancy that you gain favor by subserviency ; but so far from 
gaining favor, you lose respect. 



2506. Avoid falsehood. There can be found no higher 
virtue than that of truth. 



250T. Be honest. Not only because ''honesty is the best 
policy," but because it is a duty to God and to man. 



2508. Avoid idleness — it is the parent of many evils. Can 
you pray, ** Give us this day our daily bread," and not hear 
the reply, " Do thou this day thy daily duty ?" 



2509. Avoid telling idle tales, which is like firing arrows in 
the dark ; you know not into whose heart they may fall. 



496 MRS- bale's receipts for the million. 

2510. Avoid talking about yourself; praising your own 
works ; and proclaiming your own deeds. If they are good, 
they will proclaim themselves ; if bad, the less you say of 
them the better. 

2511. Be kind in little thino-s. 



2512. The true generosity of the heart is more displg-yed by 
deeds of minor kindness, than by acts which may partake of 
ostentation. 

2513. Reason is given for man's guidance. Passion is the 
tempest by which reason is overthrown. Under the effects of 
passion, man's mind becomes disordered, his face disfigured, 
his body deformed. 

2514. A moment's passion has frequently cut off a life's 
friendship, destroyed a life's hope, imbittered a life's peace, 
and brought unending sorrow and disgrace. 

2515. Avoid pride. If you are handsome, God made you 
so ; if you are learned, some one instructed you ; if you are 
rich, God gave you w^hat you own. 

2516. The best men throughout all history, have been the 
most humble. 

2511. Affectation is a form of pride. It is, in fact, pride 
made ridiculous and contemptible. Affectation is usually the 
fault of weak people. 

2518. Avoid swearing. An oath is but the wrath of a 
perturbed spirit. 

2519. It is mean, A man of high moral standing would 
rather treat an offense with contempt, than show his indigna- 
tion by an oath. 

2520. It is vulgar : altogether too low for a decent man. 



2521. It is cowardly: implying a fear of either of not being 
believed or obeyed. 



MANNERS, 4:9*1 

2522. It is ungentlemanly. A gentleman, according to 

Webster, is a genteel man — well-bred, refined. 



2523. It is indecent: offensive to delicacy, and extremely 
unfit for human ears. 



2524. It is foolish. *' Want of decency is want of sense." 



2525. It is abusive — to the mind which conceives the oath, 
to the tongue which utters it, and to the person at whom it 
is aimed. 



2526. It is venomous, showing a man's heart to be as a 
nest of vipers ; and every time he swears, one of them starts 
out from his head. 



2527. It is contemptible — forfeiting the respect of all the 
wise and good. 



2528. It is wicked: violating the Divine law, and provok- 
ing the displeasure of Him who will not hold him guiltless who 
takes his name in vain. 



2529. Be a gentleman. Swear not at all. 



2550. Moderation, decorum, and neatness, distinguish the 
gentleman ; he is at all times affable, diffident, and studious 
to please. Intelligent and polite, his behavior is pleasant 
and graceful. 



2531. Appear only to be a gentleman, and its shadow will 
bring upon you contempt; be a gentleman, and its honors will 
remain even after you are dead. 



2532. The foregoing remarks may be said to apply to the 
moral conduct, rather than to the details of personal manners. 



2533. Great principles, however, suggest minor ones ; and 
hence from the principles laid down, many hints upon personal 
behavior may be gathered. 



2534. Be hearty in your salutations. 
32' 



498 MRS. HALES RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

2535. Be true in your professions. 



5^536. Discreet and sincere in your friendships. 



253t. Like to listen rather than to talk. 



2538. Behave, even in the presence of your relations, as 
though you felt respect to be due to them. 

2539. In society never forget that you are but one of many. 

2540. Visiting a friend, conform to the rules, of his home. 



2541. Lean not upon his tables, nor rub your feet against 
his chairs. 



2542. Pry not into letters that are not your own. 



2543. Pay unmistakable respect to ladies everywhere. 



2544. Beware of foppery and of silly flirtation. 



2545. In public places, be not pertinacious of your rights. 



2546. Find pleasure in making concessions. 

2547. Speak distinctly. 



2548. Look at the person to whom you speak. 

2549. When you have spoken, give him an opportunity to 
reply. 



2550. Avoid drunkenness as you would a curse ; and modify 
all appetites, especially those that are acquired. 

2551. Dress well, but not superfluously. 

2552. Be neither like a sloven, nor like a stuflPed model. 

2553. Keep away all uncleanly appearances from the per- 
son. Let the nails, the teeth, and in fact, the whole system 



MANNERS. 499 

receive salutary rather tJian studied care. But let these things 
receive attention at the toilet— not elsewhere. 



2554. Avoid displaying excess of jewelry. Nothing looks 
more effeminate upon a man. 



2555. Every one of these suggestions may be regarded as 
the centre of many others, which the earnest mind can not 
fail to discover. 



2556. Avoid envy, for it can not benefit you, nor can it 
injure those against whom it is cherished. 

2557. Avoid disputation, for the mere sake of argument. 



2558. Be sociable ; avoid reserve in society. 

2559. Remember that the social elements, like the air we 
breathe, are purified by motion. Thought illumines thought, 
and smiles win smiles. 



2560. Be punctual. One minute too late has lost many a 
golden opportunity. Besides which, the want of punctuality 
is an affront offered to the person to whom your presence is 
due. 



2561. Be polite. Politeness is the poetry of conduct — and 
like poetry it has many qualities. 



2562. Let not your politeness be too florid, but of that 
gentle kind which indicates refined nature. 



2563. It is true, indeed, that we should not dissemble and 
flatter in company ; but a man may be very agreeable, strictly 
consistent with truth and sincerity, by a prudent silence where 
he can not concur, and a pleasing assent where he can. 



2564. Now and then you meet with a person so exactly 
formed to please, that he will gain upon every one that hears 
or beholds him ; this disposition is not merely the gift of na- 
ture, but frequently the effect of much knowledge of the world, 
and a command over the passions. 



500 MKS. hale's eeceipts for the million. 

2565. Ceremonies. — All ceremonies are in themselves very 
sill}^ things ; but, yet a man of the world should know them. 
They are the outworks of manners and decency, which would 
be too often broken in upon, if it were not for that defense 
which keeps the enemy at a proper distance. 



2566. Therefore always treat fools and coxcombs with 
great ceremony, true good-breeding not being a sufficient bar- 
rier against them. 

2567. Agreeahleness. — The true art of being agreeable is 
to appear well-pleased with all the company, and rather to 
seem well entertained with them than to bring entertainment 
to them. 



2568. Eschew personalities and personal adventures ; noth- 
ing is more tedious than one who is addicted to talk prodigiously 
about himself. 



2569. Never, in a mixed company, speak disrespectfully of 
woman. 



25Y0. Treat your parents with the greatest possible respect. 
Restrain yourself even from smiling at their foibles, or their 
weaknesses. Obey them, even should you yourself be of ma- 
ture age. 



25T1. To restrain your desire for indulgences is not only 
well bred, but it is heroic ; much good results from it. Watch 
well the little sins, and you will escape those which are more 
gross. This applies, not only to morals, but to the minor 
morals — the manners. 



2572. A badly-tempered man, and be who has no command 
over his passions, will rarely become a polished gentleman. 



2573. If you have children, be careful to behave well before 
them. Kemember that the child naturally and easily imitates 
the actions of his parent, be they good or evil. 



2574. Any thing which is essentially out of place is vulgar. 



RULES OF ETIQUETTE. 501 

Thus, an Over familiarity with servants is vulgar, because it is 
out of place, and can only lead to a bad result. 



RULES OP ETIQUETTE. 

2515. In walking with a gentleman, the step of the lady 
must be lengthened, and his shortened, to prevent the hob- 
bling appearance of not keeping step. 

2516. Of course, the conversation of a stranger, beyond ask- 
ing a necessary question, must be considered as a gross insult, 
and repelled with proper spirit. 

2511. Having dressed yourself, pay no further attention to 
your clothes. Few things look worse than a continual fussing 
with your attire. 

2518. Never scratch your head, pick your teeth, clean your 
nails, or worse than all, pick your nose in company; all these 
things are disgusting. Spit as little as possible, and never 
upon the floor. 

2519. Do not lounge on sofas, nor tip back your chair, nor 
elevate your feet. • ^ 

2580. If you are going into -the company of ladies, beware 
of onions, spirits, and tobacco. 

2581. If you can sing or play, do so at once when requested, 
without requiring to be pressed, or make a fuss. 

2582. On the other hand, let your performance be brief, or, 
if ever so good, it will be tiresome. 



2583. When a lady sits down to the pianoforte, some gen- 
tleman should attend her, arrange the music-Btool, and turn 
over the leaves. 

2584. Do not make yourself too conspicuous in those atten- 
tions. The lady, not the gentleman, is the performer. 



502 MRS. bale's receipts for the million 

2585. Never tattle, nor repeat in one society any scandal 
or personal matter you hear in another. 



2586. Give your own opinion of people, if you please, but 
never repeat that of others. 



2581. Meeting an acquaintance among strangers in the 
street or a coffee-house, never address him by name. It is 
vulgar and annoying. 



2588. It is not considered fashionable to introduce two per- 
sons who accidentally meet in your parlor, and who are paying 
you a npiorning visit. 



2589. Never- introduce in the street, unless the third person 
joins and walks with you. You may make an exception to 
this rule when the parties are mutually desirous of knowing 
one another. 

2590. When a gentleman is presented to a lady, if she is in 
her own house and desires to welcome him, she may shake 
hands with him ; but on any other occasion, unless the gentle- 
man is venerable, or the bosom friend of the husband or 
father, this practice is reprehensible. 

2591. A lady is at liberty either to take another lady or a 
gentleman to pay a morning visit to a friend, without asking 
permission ; but she should never allow a gentleman the same 
liberty. 

2592. A lady who is invited to an evening assembly may 
always request a gentleman who has nob been invited by the 
lady of the house, to accompany her. 



2593. If you are walking with one lady, do not stop to con- 
verse with others who are unknown to her, as she must neces- 
sarily feel unpleasant j but, if with a gentleman, you may do 
as you please. 

2594. Visits and Presentations. — Friendship calls should bo 
made in the forenoon, and require neatness, without costliness 
of dress. 



EULES OF ETIQUETTE. 503 

2595. Calls to give invitations to dinner parties, or balls, 
should be very short, and should be paid in the afternoon 



2596. Visits of condolence require a grave style of dress. 

259T. A formal visit should never be made before noon. If 
a second visitor is announced, it will be proper for you to 
retire, unless you are very intimate, both with the host and the 
visitor announced ; unless, indeed, the host expresses a wish 
for you to remain. 



2598. Visits after balls or parties should be made within a 
month. , 

2599. In the latter, it is customary to enclose your card in 
an envelope, bearing the address outside. This may be sent 
by post, if you reside at a distance. But, in the neighbor- 
hood, it is polite to send your servant, or to call. In the 
latter case, a corner should be turned down. 



2600. Scrape your shoes and use the mat. 

2601. When a new visitor enters a drawing-room, if it be a 
gentleman, the ladies bow slightly ; if a lady^ the guests rise. 



2602. Hold your hat in your hand, unless requested to place 
it down. Then lay it beside you. 



2603. The last arrival in a drawing-room takes a seat left 
vacant near the mistress of the house. 



2604. A lady is not required to rise on receiving a gentle- 
man, nor to accompany him to the door. 



2605. When your visitor retires, ring the bell for the ser- 
vant. You may then accompany your guest as far toward the 
door as the circumstances of your friendship seem to demand. 

2606. Request the servant, during the visit of guests, to be 
ready to attend to the door the moment the bell rings. 



2601. When you introduce a person pronounce the name 



504 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

distinctly, and saj whatever you can to make the introduc- 
tion agreeable. Such as "an old and valued friend," a 
" school-fellow of mine," ^* an old acquaintance of our family." 



. 2608. Never stare about you in a room as if you were tak- 



ing stock. 



2609. The gloves should not be removed during a visit. 



2610. Be hearty in your reception of guests. And where 
you see much diffidence, assist the stranger to throw it off. 



2611. A lady does not put her address on her visiting card. 

2612. In all your associations, keep constantly in view the 
adage, *'too much freedom breeds contempt." 



2613.^ Never be guilty of practical jokes ; if you accustom 
yourself to them, it is probable you will become so habituated 
as to commit them upon persons who will not allow of such 
liberties : I have known a duel to arise from a slap on the 
back. 

2614. If there be another chair in the room, do not offer a 
lady that from which you have just risen. 



2615. Always suspect the advances of any person who may 
wish for your acquaintance, and who has had no introduction : 
circumstances may qualify this remark, but as a general prin- 
ciple, acquaintances made in a public room or place of amuse- 
ment are not desirable. 



2616. Never converse while a person is singing; it is an 
insult not only to the singer, but to the company. 



2611. The essential part of good breeding is the practical 
desire to afford pleasure, and to avoid giving pain. Any man 
possessing this desire, requires only opportunity and observa- 
tion to make him a gentlemail. 

2618. Always take off your hat when handing a lady to her 
carriage, or the box of a theatre, or a public room. 



RULES OF ETiqUETTK, 505 

2619. If, ill a public promenade, you pass and repass per- 
sons of your acquaintance, it is only necessary to salute them 
on the first occasion. 

2620. Do not affect singularity of dress by wearing any 
thing that is so conspicuous as to demand attention ; and 
particularly avoid what I believe I must call the ruffian style. 

2621. Never lose your temper at cards, and particularly 
avoid the exhibition of anxiety or vexation at want of success. 



2622* If you are playing whist^ not only keep your tem- 
per, but hold your tongue ; any intimation to your partner is 
decidedly ungentlemanly. 

2623. Let presents to a young lady be characterized by 
taste, not remarkable for intrinsic value. , 

2624. Except under very decided circumstances, it is both 
ungentlemanly and dangerous to cut a person : if you wish to 
rid yourself of any one's society, a cold bow in the street, and 
particular ceremony in the circles of your mutual acquaintance, 
is the best mode of conduct to adopt. 

2625. Never introduce your own affairs for- the amusement 
of a company ; it shows a sad want of mental cultivation, or 
excessive weakness of intellect. 



2626. Recollect, also, that such a discussion cannot be in- 
teresting to others, and that the probability is that the most 
patient listener is a complete gossip, laying the foundation for 
Bome tale to make you appear ridiculous. 



2621. When you meet a gentleman with whom you are 
acquainted, you bow, raising your hat slightly with the left 
hand, which leaves your .right at liberty to shake hands if you 
stop. 



2628. If the gentleman is ungloved, you must take off yours, 
not otherwise. 



2629. Meeting a lady, the rule is that she should make the 



506 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

first salute, or at least indicate bj her manner that she recog- 
nizes you. 



2630. Your bow must be lower, and your hat carried fur- 
ther from your head : but you never offer to shake hands ; that 
is her privilege. 



2631. The right, being the post of honor, is given to supe- 
riors and ladies, except in the street, when they take the wall, 
as furthest from danger from passing carriages, in walking 
with or meeting them-. 



2632. In walking with a lady, you are not bound to recog- 
nize gentlemen with whom she is not acquainted, nor have 
they, in such a case, any right to salute, much less to speak to 
you. 



2633. Whenever or wherever you stand, to converse with a 
lady, or while handing her into or out of a carriage, keep your 
hat in your hand. 



2634. Should her shoe become unlaced, or her dress in any 
manner disordered, fail not to apprize her of it, respectfully, 
and offer your assistance. A gentleman may hook a dress or 
lace a shoe with perfect propriety, and should be able to do 
so gracefully. 



2635. Whether with a lady or gentleman, a street talk 
should be a short one ; and in either case, when you have 
passed the customary compliments, if you wish to continue 
the conversation, you must say, ''Permit me to accompany 
you." 



2636. Don't sing, hum, whistle, or talk to yourself, in walk- 
ing. Endeavor, besides being well dressed, to have a calm 
good-natured countenance. A scowl always begets wrinkles. 



263Y. It is best not to smoke at all in public, and none but 
a ruffian in grain will inflict upon society the odor of a bad 
cigar, or that of any kind on ladies. 

2638. Ladies are not allowed, upon ordinary occasions, to 



DINNER PARTIES. 50*7 

take the arm of any one but a relative or an accepted lover in 
the street, and in the day time ; but in the evening— in the fields, 
or in a crowd, wherever she may need protection — she should 
not refuse it. 



2639. The lady should pass ber hand over the gentleman's 
arm merely, but should not walk at arm's length apart, as 
country girls sometimes do. 



DINNER PARTIES. 

2640. We will begin with the invitation, the reply to which 
you will make at once, for obvious reasons, and address it to 
the mistress of the house. 



2641. If you accept, arrive at the house very punctually, not 
too late nor too early, both are inconvenient, but the latter 
irreparable. Get there, therefore, a little before the time, and 
w^ait till the precise moment before knocking. 

2642. If you arrive by some accident a great deal too late, 
do not disturb the party by going in ; send your card and an 
apology from some neighboring place. 

2643. The host, if attentive, will point out to gentlemen the 
ladies whom he wishes them to conduct to table — always fol- 
low his directions. 



2644. If either at dinner or at supper he should offer you 
the place of honor, never refuse it. To do so, as some do, is 
to show a pretended modesty ; it keeps the rest of the company 
standing, and is vulgar in the extreme. 



2645. The great requisites in the office of host are to be a 
good carver (if they carve at table), a calm temper, and a wish 
to place every one perfectly at his ease. 



2646. The company should be so arranged that each lady 
will have some gentleman at her side, to assist her. Of course, 
it is every gentleman's duty, first of all to see that ladies near 
him are attended to. 



508 MKs. bale's receipts for the million. 

2641. The lady of the house sits at the head of the table, 
and the gentleman opposite, at the foot. The place of honor 
for gentlemen, is on each side of the mistress of the house — for 
ladies, on each side of the master. 



2648. When napkins are provided, they are at once care- 
fully unfolded, and laid on the knees. 



2649. Observe, if. grace is to be said, and keep a proper 
decorum. If soup is served, take a piece of bread in the left 
hand, and the spoon in the right, and sip noiselessly from the 
side of the spoon. 



2650. Do not take two plates of the same kind of soup, and 
never tip up the plate. 

2651. When regular courses are served, .the next dish is 
fish. If silver or wide-pronged forks are used, eat with the 
fork in the right hand — the knife is unnecessary. 



2652. If dishes are carved by the servants, they must be 
taken to a sideboard from the proper position on the table, 
as they are required. 



2653. Take whatever is given you if you intend to eat it; 
do not offer it to your neighbor, and begin at once to eat. 
The stiff formality of waiting till, as it were, all have a fair 
start, is vulgar in the extreme. 



2654. Attend to the wants of the lady who sits next to you, 
but do not watch her plate or use any offensive vulgarism. 



2655. The host should never recommend or eulogize any 
particular dish ; his guests will take it for granted that any 
thing found at his table is excellent. 



2656. The host must not relinquisl^ his knife or fork till his 
guests have finished. 



265T. It is not usual to drink wine with any of the company 
present ; if you, however, find it the custom where you dine. 



DINNER PARTIES. 509 

adopt it at once. Champagne is drunk between the meats and 

the dessert. 

2658. Never address a servant, nor ever speak of one at 
dinner. 

2659. Should a gentleman send you v^ine at a; public table, 
or ask the honor of a glass with you, observe when he raises 
his glass, and do the same, bowing, whether you drink or not. 



2660. As a general rule, in helping any one at table, never 
use a knife when you can use a spoon. 



2661. If at dinner you are requested to help any one to 
sauce, do not pour it over the meat or vegetables, but on one 
side. 

2662. If you should have to carve and help a joint, do not 
load a person's plate — it is vulgar ; also in serving soup, one 
ladleful to each plate is sufficient. 



2663. Eat peas with a dessert spoon, and curry also. Tarts 
and puddings are to be eaten with a spoon. 

% 

2664. After the dinner, a rose-water dish is passed round ; 
dip a corner of your napkin in it, and refresh your mouth and 
hands. Finger-glasses are not in vogue. 



2665. Be careful not to drink too much w^ine ; and join the 
ladies in the drawing-room as quickly as possible. 



2666. Ladies, although allowed a great latitude of dress at 
dinner-parties, should never be extravagantly fine. 



BALLS AND EVENING PARTIES. 

2667. An invitation to a ball should be given at least a week 
beforehand. 

2668. Upon entering, first address the lady of the house ; 
and after her, the nearest acquaintances you may recognize in 
the house. 



610 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

2669. If you introduce a friend, make him acquainted with 
the names of the chief persons present. But first present him 
to the lady of the house, and to the host. 



2610. Appear in full dress. 



26*71. Always wear gloves. 



26T2. Do not wear rings on the outside of your gloves. 



26*13. Avoid an excess of jewelry. 



26*14. Do not select the same partner frequently. 



2675. Distribute your attention as much as possible. 
26T6. Pay respectful attention to elderly persons. 



26*1*7. Be cordial when serving refreshments, but not im- 
portunate. 

26*78. If there are more dancers than the room will accom- 
modate, do not join in every dance. 



26*79. In leaving a large party, it is unnecessary to bid fare- 
well,* and improper to do so before the guests. 



2680. A Paris card of invitation to an evening party usually 
implies that you are invited for the season. 



2681. The host and hostess should look after their guests, 
and not confine their attentions. They should, in fact, assist 
those chiefly who are the least known in the room. 



2682. Avoid political and religious discussions. If you 
have a ** hobby," keep it to yourself. 



2683. After dancing, conduct your partner to a seat. 



2684. Resign her as soon as her next partner advances. 



COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 511 



COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 

2685. No union should be undertaken until both of the 
contracting parties are fully acquainted with each other's dis- 
position. 

2686. If either man or woman are subject to indulge in any 
foible, or known vice, such as irritability, idleness, love of 
scandal, drunkenness, or w^orse, he or she should not marry 
till that vice is conquered. 



2687, When before union there is an unreasonable, absurd, 
and romantic degree of affection, that marriage will probably 
be an unhappy one. 



2688. When a woman knows a man to be addicted to any 
known self-indulgence, or to that which the world too fre- 
quently calls pleasure, she should discountenance him. 



2689. Position in society is freqi;iently reckoned as more 
than an equivalent for riclies. Yet neither a wise man nor 
woman will seek to marry greatly out of their sphere of life. 



2690. When you are going to marry, do not expect more 
from life than life will afford. 



2691. For acquirements, look more to solid knowledge, 
either in wife or husband, than to accomplishments. 



2692. When a young man admires a lady, and thinks her 
society necessary to his happiness, it is proper, before com- 
mitting himself, or inducing the object of his admiration to do 
so, to apply to her parents or guardians for permission to 
address her ; this is a becoming mark of respect, and the cir- 
cumstances must be very peculiar, which would justify a devi- 
ation from this course. 



2693. Young men frequently amuse themselves by playing 
with the feelings of young women. They visit them often, 
they walk with them, they pay them divers attentions, and. 
after giving them an idea that they are attached to them, they 



612 MRS. HALE*B RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

either leave them, or, what is worse, never come to an explan- 
ation of their sentiments. This is to act the character of a 
*' dangler,'' a character truly dastardly and infamous. 



2694. In case of rejection, the gentleman should at once, 
unless under peculiar circumstances, abstain from his suit. 
Unless he does so, his conduct becomes persecuting. 



2695. Ladies should never, by the slightest familiarity, 
encourage any one whom they would object to marry. 



2696. Rejection should be courteous, definite, and decisive ; 
but couched in a manner that, whilst it deprives the suitor of 
hope, inflicts no pain. 

269t. Engaged people sKould avoid compliments in com- 
pany. 

2698. A proposal being made, the lady should first signify 
her own willingness, and then refer her suitor to her parents. 



2699. In public, or in company, the conduct of lovers should 
be guarded. Avoid all show of extreme preference. Neither 
caress nor chide before others. 

2 too. Letters, trinkets, and presents, when engagements 
are broken off, are always returned by both parties. 

2101. Long engagements are dangerous. 

2t02. If a gentleman does not intend to marry a lady, he 
has no right to make his attentions peculiar. He should con- 
sider her true interest, and he would not trifle with her affec- 
tions. 



2103. Lovers Telegraph. — If a gentleman wants a wife, he 
wears a ring on the first finger of the left band ; if he is 
^ngaged, he wears it on the second finger ; if married, on the 
ird ; and on the fourthj if he never intends to be married. 



2104. When a lady is not engaged, she wears a hoop or 
diamond on her first finger; if engaged, on the second; if 



COUETSHIP AND MAERIAGE. 513 

married, on the third; and on the/owr^^, if she intends to die 
a maid. 

2105. When a gentleman presents a fan, flower, or trinket, 
to a lady with the left hand, this on his part, is an overture 
of regard; should she receive it with the left hand, it is 
considered as an acceptance of his esteem ; but if with the 
right hand, it is a refusal of the offer. 



2^106. Thus, by a few simple tokens, explained by rule, the 
passion of love is expressed : and, through the medium of the 
telegraph, the most timid and diffident man may, without 
difficulty, communicate his sentiments of regard to a lady, and 
in case his offer should be refused, avoid experiencing the 
mortification of an explicit refusal. 



2Y0T. Marriage Ceremony. — Weddings are everywhere 
accompanied with some degree of ceremony, and are usually 
considered as occasions of festivity. 



2108. The preliminaries having been arranged by the con- 
tracting parties, and the lady having named the happy day, 
preparations are made for the wedding. 

2109. Those who belong to the Episcopal and Roman 
Catholic churches are usually married at church, in the morn- 
ing, and by the prescribed forms. 



2110. In some cases there is a wedding-party given in the 
evening ; in others, the happy couple make a short wedding 
tour, and issue cards of invitation on their return, 

2111. Where a wedding is celebrated in the usual forms, 
cards of invitation are issued at least a week beforehand. 



2112. The hour selected is usually eight o'clock, P. M. 



2113. Wedding cakes, wines, and other refreshments are 
provided by the bride and her friends for the occasion. 



2114. The bride is usually dressed in pure white — she wear3 
33 



614 MRS. HALE'S receipts for the MILLIOIir. 

a white vail, and her head is crowned with a wreath of white 
flowers, usually artificial ; and orange blossoms are preferred. 

2715. She should wear no ornaments but such as her in- 
tended husband or her father may present her for the occasion 
. — certainly no gift, if any such were retained, of any former 
sweetheart. 

2716. The bridesmaid, or bridesmaids, if there be two, or 
more, are generally younger than the bride, and should also 
be dressed in white, but more simply. 



2717. The bridegroom must be in full dress, that is, he 
must wear a dress coat, which if he pleases, may be faced with 
white satin ; a white satin vest, black pantaloons, and dress 
boots or pumps, black silk stockings, and white kid gloves, and 
a white cravat. 

2718. The bridegroom is attended by one or two, or more, 
groomsmen, who should be dressed in a similar manner. 



2719. It is the duty of the bridesmaids to assist in dressing 
the bride, and making the necessary preparations for the enterr 
tainment of the guests. 

2720. The chief groomsman engages the clergyman or mag- 
istrate, and upon his arrival introduces him to the bride and 
bridegroom, and the friends of the parties. 

2721. The invited guests, upon their arrival, are received 
as at other parties, and after visiting the dressing-rooms, and 
arranging their toilettes, they proceed to the room where the 
ceremony is to be performed. 

2722. In some cases the marriage is performed before the 
arrival of the guests. 

2723. When the hour for the ceremony has arrived, and all 
things are ready, the wedding party, consisting of the happy 
couple, with the bridesmaids aud groomsmen, walk into the 
room arm in arm. 



COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 515 

2T24. The groomsmen, each atteijding the bridesmaids, pre- 
cede the bride and bridegroom, and take their position at the 
head of the room, which is usually the end furthest from the 
entrance ; the bride standing facing the assembly on the left 
of the bridegroom — the bridesmaids taking their position at 
her left; and the groomsmen at the right of the bridegroom. 



" 27 25. The principal groomsman now formally introduces the 
clergyman or magistrate to the bride and bridegroom, and he 
proceeds to perform the marriage ceremony ; if a ring is to be 
used, the bridegroom procures a plain gold one, previously 
taking some means to have it of the proper size. 



2126. As soon as the ceremony is over, and the bridegroom 
has kissed the bride, the clergyman or magistrate shakes hands 
with the bride, saluting her by her newly-acquired name, as 
Mrs. , and wishes them joy, prosperity and happiness. 



^ 2727. Then the groomsmen and bridesmaids do the same ; 
and then the principal groomsmen brings to them the other 
persons in the room, commencing with the parents and rela- 
tives of the parties, the bride^s relatives having precedence, 
and ladies being accompanied by gentlemen. 



2728. In this manner, all present are expected to make their 
salutations and congratulations, first to the newly-married 
couple, and then to their parents and friends. 



2729. And where the wedding cremony has been performed 
before the arrival of the guests, they are received near the 
door, having, of course, first visited the dressing-rooms, and 
are introduced in the same manner. 



2730. The groomsman takes occasion, before the clergyman 
or magistrate leaves, to privately thank him for his attendance, 
at the same time placing in his hand the marriage fee, which 
is wrapped up nicely in paper, and if more than the legal sum, 
as is frequently the case where the parties are wealthy, it is 
usually in gold. 

2731. The bridegroom, of course, takes an early opportunity 
to reimburse his groomsman for necessary expenses. 



516 MRS. HALE*S RECEIPTS f^OR THE MILLION. 

2Y32. When the presentations and congratulations are over, 
that is, when the guests have arrived, the bridal party, which 
till now has kept its position, mingles with the rest of the com- 
pany, and joins in the dancing or other amusements. 

2T33. The practice of kissing the bride is not so common 
as formerly, and in regard to this, the taste of the bridegroom 
may be consulted, as the rest of the company follow the exam- 
ple of the groomsman ; but the "parents and very near relatives 
of the parties, of course, act as affection prompts them. 

2134. When the ceremony is performed according to the 
Protestant Episcopal service, the order of going to church is 
as follaws : _____ 

2735. The bride, accompanied by her father, not unfre- 
quently her mother , and uniformly by a bridesmaid, occupies 
the Jirst carriage, 

2736. The father hands out the bride, and leads her to the 
altar, the mother and bridesmaid following. After them come 
the other bridesmaids, attended by the groomsmen, if there 
are more than one. ^ 

2737. The bridegroom occupies the last carriage, with the 
principal groomsman, an intimate friend or brother. 



2738. He follows, and stands facing the altar, with the bride 
at his left hand. The father places himself behind, with the 
mother, if she attends. 



2739. The chief bridesmaid occupies a place on the left 
of the bride, to hold her gloves and handkerchief, and flowers ; 
her companions range themselves on the left. 



2740. Kemember to take, the ring vnth you. The fee to 
a clergyman is according to the fortune of the bridegroom ; 
and a trifle should be given to the sexton. 



2741. When the ceremony is concluded, the bride takes the 
groom's arm, they enter their carriage, and proceed to the 
breakfast, every one else following. 



' COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 5 IT 

2'742. The order of return from church differs -from the 
above only in the fact that the bride and bridegroom now ride 
together, the bride being on his left, and a bridesmaid, and a 
groomsman, or the father of the bride, occupying the front 
seats of the carriage. 

2t43. The wedding breakfast having been already prepared, 
the wedding party return thereto. 



2744. If a large party, the bride and bridegroom occupy 
seats in the centre of the long table, and the two extremities 
should be presided over by elderly relatives, if possible one 
from each family. • 

2t45. Every body should endeavor to make the occasion as 
happy as possible. ^ ______ 

2746. After marriage, the bridal party usually travel for a 
week or two ; upon their return, it is customary for the bride 
to be at home for a few days to receive visits. The first four 
weeks after marriage, constitute the honeymoon. 



2T4'7. You need not retain the whole of your previous ac- 
quaintance ; those only to whom you send cards, are, after 
marriage, considered in the circle of your visiting acquaint- 
ance. 

2748. The parents or friends of the bride usually send the 
cards to her connections ; the bridegroom selects those per- 
sons among his former associates whom he wishes to retain as 
such. 

2749. The cards are sometimes united by a silken cord, or 
white ribbon, to distinguish those of a newly married pair 
from ordinary visitors ; but it is doubtful whether it be in good 
taste. ^__ 

2750. A married woman may leave her own or her hus- 
band^s card in returning a visit; the latter only would be 
adopted as a resource in the event of her not having her own 
with her 



618 MRS. hale's receipts for THB MILLIOK", 

2751. "Cards should (if belonging to the gentleman) be plain, 
plainly written or printed, and unglazed and ungilt. 



2152. Ladies should have their cards enameled, but, for 
obvious reasons, the name plain and distinct,- so as to catch 
the eye at once. 

2153. When a man marries, it is understood that all former 
acquaintanceship ends, unless he intimate a desire to renew it, 
by sending you his own and his wife's card, if near, or by let- 
ter, if distant. ^ 

2154. If this be neglected, be sure no further intercourse is 
desired. 

2Y55. In the first place : A bachelor is seldom very partic- 
ular in the selection of his companions. So long as he is 
amused, he will associate freely enough with those whose 
morals and habits would point them out as highly dangerous 
persons to introduce into the sanctity of domestic life. 

2756. Secondly. A married man has the tastes of another 
to consult ; and the friends of the husband may not be equally 
acceptable to the wife. 

2Y57. Besides, newly-married people may wish to limit 
the circle of their friends, from commendable motives of econ- 
omy. 

2158. When a man first ^^sets up^^ in the world, the burden 
of an extensive and indiscriminate acquaintance may be felt in 
various ways. 

2159. Many have had cause to regret the weakness of mind 
which allowed them to plunge into a vortex of gayety and ex- 
pense they could ill afford, from which they have found it diffi- 
cult to extricate themselves, and the effects of which have 
proved a serious evil to them in after life. 



2160. When a man is about to be married, he usually gives 
a dinner to his bachelor friends ; which is understood to be 
their conge unless he choose to renew their acquaintance. 



COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 519 

2Y61. Wedding'rings.'^The custom of wearing wedding- 
rings appears to have taken its rise among the Romans. 

2T62. Before the celebration of their nuptials, there was a 
meeting of friends at the house of the lady^s father, to settle 
articles of the marriage contract, when it was agreed that the 
dowry should be paid down on the wedding-day or soon after. 



2T63. On this occasion, there was commonly a feast, at the 
conclusion of which the man gave to the woman as a pledge, 
a ring, which she put on the fourth finger of her left hand, be- 
cause it was believed that a nerve reached thence to the heart, 
and a day was then named for the marriage. 



2164. Wedding cakes, — Four pounds of fine flour, well 
dried, four pounds of fresh butter, two pounds of loaf sugar, 
a quarter of a pound of mace pounded and sifted fine, the same 
of nutmegs. 

2165. To every pound of flour add eight eggs ; wash four 
pounds of currants ; let them be well picked and dried before 
the fire ;. blanch a pound of sweet almonds, and cut them 
lengthwise very thin ; a pound of citron, one pound of candied 
orange, the same of candied lemon ; half a pint of brandy. 



2766. When these are made ready, work the butter with 
your hand to a cream, then beat in your sugar, a quarter of 
an hour, beat the whites of your eggs to a very strong froth ; 
mix them with your sugar and butter ; beat your eggs half an 
hour at least, and mix them with your cake ; then put in your 
flour, mace and nutmeg ; keep beating it well till your oven 
is ready — pour in the brandy, and beat the currants and 
almonds lightly in. 

2t6T. Tie three sheets of white paper round the bottom of 
your hoop to keep it from running out ; rub it well with but- 
ter, put in your cake, lay the sweetmeats in layers, with cake 
betweeu each layer, and after it is risen and colored, cover it 
with paper before your oven is stopped. up ; it will require 
three hours to bake properly. 



2768. Almond Icing for Wedding Cake, — Beat the whites 



520 M^S. bale's Rm}EIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

of three eggs to a strong froth ; beatr a pint of Jordan almonds 
very fine with rose-water ; mix them, with the eggs, lightly 
together ; -put in by degre(vs a pound of common loaf sugar in 
powder. 

2<r69. When the cake is baked enough, take it out, and lay 
it on the icing ; then put it in to brown. ^ 

2TY0. After Marriage. — The power of a wife for good or 
evil, is irresistible. Home must be the seat of happiness, or 
it must be for ever unknown. 



2171. A good wife is to a man, wisdom and courage, and 
strength and endurance. 

2TT2. A bad wife is confusion, weakness, discomfiture, and 
despair. ^ 

27 T3. No condition is hopeless where the wife possesses firm- 
ness, decision, and economy. 

2TY4 There is no outward prosperity which can counteract 
indolence, extravagance, and folly at home. No spirit can 
long endure bad domestic influence. 



2T75. Man is strong, but his heart is not adamant. He de- 
lights in enterprise and action ; but to sustain him he needs a 
tranquil mind, and a whole heart. He needs his moral force 
in the conflicts of the world. 



2176. To recover his equanimity and composure, home must 
be to him a place of repose, of peace, of cheerfulness, of com- 
fort ; and his soul renews its strength again, and goes forth 
with fresh vigor to encounter the labor and troubles of life. 



2717. But if at home he finds no rest, and is there met with 
bad temper, sullenness, or gloom, or is assailed by discontent 
or complaint, hope vanishes, and he sinks into despair. 



2TT8. A wife must learn, to form her husband's happi- 
ness, in what direction the" secret lies; she must not cherish his 



COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. 521 

weaknessGvS by working upon them ; she must not rashly run 
counter to his prejudices ; her motto must be, never to irritate. 



2t79. She must study never to draw largely on the small 
stock of patience in a man's nature, nor to increase his obsti- 
nacy by trying to drive him ; never, never, if possible, to have 
scenes. 

2Y80. We doubt much if a real quarrel, even made up, does 
not loosen the bond between man and wife, and sometimes, 
unless the affection of both be very sincere, lastingly. 



2781. If irritation should occur, a woman must expect to 
hear from most men a strength and vehemence of language far 
more than the occasion requires. Mild, as well as stern men, 
are prone to this exaggeration of language ; let not a woman 
be tempted to say any thing sarcastic or violent in retaliation. 
The bitterest repentance must needs follow if she do. 



2782. Men frequently forget what they have said, but sel- 
dom what is uttered by their wives. They are grateful, too, 
for forbearance in such cases ; for, whilst asserting most loudly 
that they are right, they are often conscious that they are 
wrong. 

2783. Give a little time, as the greatest boon you can be- 
stow, to the irritated feelings of your husband. 

2784. It is astonishing how much the cheerfulness of a wife 
contributes to the happiness of home. 

2785. She is the sun — the centre of a domestic system, and 
her children are like planets around her, reflecting her rays. 

2786. How merry the little ones look when the mother is 
joyous and good-tempered ; and how easily and pleasantly her 
household labors are overcome ! 



2787. How to Treat a Wife. — First, get a wife ; secondly, 
be patient. 

2788. You may have great trials and perplexities in your 



523 MBS. HALE'S BECEIPTfl FOR THE MILLION. 

business with the world, but do not carry to your home a 
clouded or contracted brow. 



2*789. Your wife may have had many trials, which, though 
of less magnitude, may have been as hard to bear. 



2190. A kind, conciliating word, a tender look, will do 
wonders in chasing from her brow all clouds of gloom. 



2791. You encounter difficulties in the open air, fanned by 
heaven's cool breezes ; but your wife is often shut in from these 
healthful influences, and her health fails, and her spirits lose 
their elasticity. 

2792. But oh I bear with her; she has trials and sorrows to 
which you are a stranger, but which your tenderness can de- 
prive of all their anguish. 

2793. Notice kindly her little attentions and efforts to pro- 
mote your comfort. 

2794. Do not treat her with indifference, if you would not 
sear and palsy her heart, which, watered by^kindness, would, 
to the latest day of your existence, throb with sincere and 
constant affection. 

2795. Sometimes yield your wishes to hers. She has pre- 
ferences as strong as you, and it may be just as trying to 
yield her choice as to you. 

2796. Do you find it hard to yield sometimes ? Think you 
it is not difficult for her to give up always ? 

2797. If you never yield to her wishes, there is danger that 
she will think you are selfish, and care only for yourself, and 
with such feelings she can not love as she might. 



2798. Again, show yourself manly, so that your wife can 
look up to you and feel that you will act nobly, and that she 
can confide in your judgment. 



2799. You can hardly imagine how refreshing it is to occa- 
sionally call up the recollection of your courting days. 



•courtship axd marriage. 523 

2800. How tedionsly the hours rolled away prior to the ap- 
pointed time of meeting ; how swift they seemed to fly, when 
met ; how fond was the first greeting ; how tender the last 
embrace ; how fervent were your vows ; how vivid your dreams 
of future happiness, when, returning to your home, you felt 
yourself secure in the confessed love of the object of your 
warm affections. 

2801. Is your dream realized ? — are you as happy as you 
expected? 

2802. Why not ? Consider whether as a husband you are 
as fervent and constant as you were when a lover. 



2803. Remember that the wife's claims to your unremitting 
regard — great before marriage, are now exalted to a much 
higher degree. 

2804. She has left the world for you — the home of her 
childhood, the fireside of her parents, their watchful care and 
sweet intercourse have all been yielded up for you. 



2805. Look then most jealously upon all that may tend to 
attract you from home, and to weaken that union upon which 
your temporal happiness mainly depends ; and believe that in 
the solemn relationship of husband is to be found one of the 
best guarantees for man's* honor and happiness. 



2806. When once a man has established a home, his most 
important duties have fairly begun. 



280T. The errors of youth may be overlooked ; want of pur- 
pose, and even of honor, in his earlier days, may be forgotten. 



2808. But from the moment of his marriage he begins to 
write his indelible history ; not by pen and ink, but by actions 
—by which he must ever afterward be reported and judged. 



2809. His conduct at home ; his solicitude for his family; 
the training of his children ; his devotion to his wife ; his re- 
gard for the interests of eternity, are his record. 



524 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

2810. Seek to govern your own household by the display 
of hio;h moral excellence. 



2811. A domineering spirit- — a fault-finding petulance — im- 
patience of trifling delays — and the exhibition of unworthy 
passions at the slightest provocation, can add no laurel to 
your own ^ lordly'' brow, impart no sweetness to home, and call 
forth no respect from those by whom you may be surrounded. 

2812. It is one thing to be a master — another thing to be 
a man. The latter should be the husband's aspiration ; for 
he who can not govern himself is ill-qualified to govern 
another. 



OTJR HOUSE. 

2813. If a young married couple intend to furnish a house, 
we say to them — Attend to these rules. 



2814. Do not spend all your money, be it much or little. 
Do nob let the beauty of this thing, and the cheapness of that, 
tempt you to buy unnecessary articles. 



2815. Buy merely enough to get along with at first. It is 
only by experience that you can tell what will be the wants 
of your family. 

2816. If you spend all your money, you will find you have 
purchased many things you do not want, and have no means 
left to get many things which you do want. 

281*7. If you have enough, and more than enough, to get 
every thing suitable to your situation, do not think you must 
spend it all, merely because you happen to have it. 

2818. Begin humbly. As riches increase, it is easy and 
pleasant to increase in comforts ; but it is always painful and 
inconvenient to decrease. After all, these things are viewed 
in their proper light by the truly judicious and respectable. 



OtJR HOUSE. 525 

2819. Neatness, tastefulness, and good sense may be shown 
in the management of a small household, and the arrangement 
of a little furniture, as well as upon a larger scale ; and these 
qualities are always praised, and always treated with respect 
and attention. , 

2820. The consideration which many purchase by living 
beyond their income, and, of course, living upon others, is not 
worth the trouble it costs. __^_ 

2821. The glare there is about this false and wicked parade 
is deceptive : it does not, in fact, procure a man valuable 
friends, or extensive influence. 



2822. If the house is rented. — Before taking a house, be 
careful to calculate that the rent is not too high in proportion 
to your means ; for remember that the rent is a claim which 
must be paid with but little delay, and that the landlord has 
greater power over your property than any other creditor. 



2823. Having determined the amount of rent which you 
can afford to pay, be careful to select the best house which 
caji be obtained for that sum. And in making that selection, 
let the following matters be carefully considered : 



2824. First. — Carefully regard the healthfulness of the situ- 
ation. Avoid the neighborhood of graveyards, and of facto- 
ries giving forth unhealthy vapors ; avoid low and damp dis- 
tricts, the course of canals, and localities of reservoirs of water, 
gas-works, &c.; make, inquiries as to the drainage of the neigh- 
borhood, and inspect the drainage and water supply of the 
premises. 

2825. A house standing on an incline is likely to be better 
drained than one standing upon the summit of a hill, or on a 
level below a hill. 

2826. Endeavor to obtain a position where the direct sun- 
light falls upon the house, for this is absolutely necessary to 
health ; and give preference to a house the openings of which 
are sheltered from the north and east winds. 



526 MRS. HALES RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

282Y. Second. — Consider the distance of the house from 
your place of occupation ; and also its relation to provision 
markets, and the prices that prevail in the neighborhood. 



2828. Having considered these material and leading fea- 
tures, examine the house in detail, carefully looking into its 
state of repair. 

2829. Notice the windows that are broken; whether the 
chimneys smoke ; whether they have been recently swept ; 
whether the paper on the walls is damaged, especially in the 
lower parts, and the corners by the skirtings ; whether the locks, 
bolts, handles of doors, and window-fastenings are in proper 
condition ; make a list of the fixtures. 



2830. Ascertain whether all rent and taxes were paid up 
by the previous tenant, and whether the party from whom you 
take the house is the original landlord, or his agent or tenant. 

2831. And do not commit yourself by the signing of any 
agreement until you are satisfied upon all these points, and 
see that all has been done which the landlord had undertaken. 



2832. In the country^ the married couple usually go to a 
house of their own. 

2833. Our House / — It is a phrase of great importance, 
and gives dignity to the newly married. 



2834. Society, — Social intercourse is necessary to our hap- 
piness and improvement. 

2835. Conversation is the medium by which social inter- 
course is maintained. 

2836. Style in conversation is as important, and as capable 
of cultivation, as style in writing. The manner of saying 
things is what gives them their value. 



2837. Avoid provincialisms in your language and pronun- 
ciation. Webster is the standard for pronouncing in the 
best society in the United States. 



CONVERSATION. 52 1 

2838. Under favorable circumstances, and among persons 
who know how to train a conversation, there are few if any 
amusements more grateful to the human mind. 



2839. The object of conversation is to entertain and amuse. 
To be agreeable you must learn to be a good listener. A 
man who monopolizes a conversation is a bore, no matter how 
great his knowledge. ^ 

2840. Never get into a dispute. State your opinions, but 
do not argue them. 

2841. Do not contradict; and above all, never offend by 
correcting mistakes or inaccuracies of fact oi* expression. 



2842. Never lose temper — never notice a slight — never 
seem conscious of an affront, unless it is of a gross character, 
and then punish it at once. 



2843. You can never quarrel in the presence of ladies, but 
a personal indignity may be avenged anywhere. 



2844. Never talk of people by hints, slurs, innuendos, and 
such mean devices. If you have any thing to say, out with it. 
Nothing charms more than candor, when united with good 
breeding. 

2845. Do not call people by their names, in speaking to 
them. In speaking of your own children, never " Master'' and 
''Miss" them — in speaking to other people of theirs, never 
neglect to do so. 

2846. Be very careful in speaking of subjects upon which 
you are not acquainted. 

284Y. Much is to be learned by confessing your ignorance — 
nothing can be by pretending to knowledge which you do not 
possess. 

2848. Never tell long istories. Avoid all common slang 
phrases and pet words. 



528 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

2849. Of all things, don't attempt to be too fine. Use 
good honest English — and common words for common things. 



2850. Good sense, sound and varied information, are as 
necessary as confidence, to enable a man to converse well. 



2851. Every one knows something which he is willing to 
tell, and which any other that he is in company with wishes to 
know, or which if known to him, would be amusing or useful. 



2852. To be a skillful conversationist, one's eyes and ears 
should be busy ; nothing should escape his observation. His 
memory should be a good one, and he should have a good- 
natured willingness to please and to be pleased. 



2853. Avoid a loud tone, particularly in speaking to ladies. 

2854. By observing men of the world, you will perceive 
that their voices, as it were, involuntarily assume a softness 
as they address the sex ; this is one of the most obvious proofs 
of an intimacy with good society. 

2855. Never attempt to occupy the attention of a company 
for a long time ; unless your conversation is very brilliant, it 
must become very tiresome. 

2856. Be not partial to theorizing, or your conversation 
will assume the style of speech-making, which is intolerable. 

285t. Badinage is pleasant, but it may be dangerous ; stupid 
people may imagine you are ridiculing them, and the stupid 
are the most assiduous enemies. 



2858. Abjure punning ; it has been aptly designated " the 
mt of fools." Gentlemen never pun. 

2859. A tattler is a most contemptible character, uniting in 
person either excessive ignorance, folly, and vanity, or the ex- 
tremes of meanness, mischief and malignity. 

2860. Women ordinarily slander more from vanity than 
vice — men, from jealousy than malignity. 



CONVERSATION. 529 

2861. Without intending mischief, many persons do much 
by repeating conversations from one house to another. 

2862. A man should never permit himself to lose his temper 
in society, nor show that he has taken offense at any supposed 
slight — it places him in a disadvantageous position — betraying 
an absence of self-respect, or at the least of self-possession. 



2863. If, upon the entrance of a visitor, you continue a con- 
versation begun- before, you should always explain the -subject 
to the new-comer. 

2864. There cannot be a custom more vulgar or offensive 
than that of taking a person aside to whisper in a room with 
company, yet this rudeness is of frequent occurrence — and 
that with persons who ought to know better. 



2865. Questions upon that which does not immediately con- 
cern you, are impertinent. 



2866. Be well read, for the sake of the general company 
and the ladies, in the literature of the day. You will, thereby, 
enlarge the regions of pleasurable talk. Besides, it is often 
necessary. 

286T. Hazlitt, who had entertained an unfounded prejudice 
against Dickens^s works when they were first written, confesses 
that at last he was obliged to read them, because he could not 
enter a mixed company without hearing them admired and 
quoted. 

2868. Always avoid any thing like absence of mind. Some 
fops assume this, but it is silly and contemptible. 



2869. In order to put everybody in the company at ease, 
we should adopt the manners and customs of those with whom 
we happen for the time to consort. 

2870. People who, having traveled, adopt, as many do, fo- 
reign phraseology, idiom, or accent, are excessively vulgar. 

31 



630 MRS. Hale's receipts for the million. 

2811. Be especiallj careful, in a mixed company, whom you 
satirize. 

2812. Swearing, which formerly pervaded every rank of 
society, is now to be chiefly found in a very low and unin- 
structed class ; it is, in fact, a vulgar and proscribed mode of 
speech. 

2813. To those who are guilty of it, for these reasons it is 
only necessary to point out, that no well-informed person can 
be at the least loss, with the genuine words of the English 
language, to express all legitimate ideas and feelings ; and that 
to use either profane or slang words is, at the least, the indi- 
cation of a low taste and inferior understanding. 

2814. Never presume to cultivate an over-familiarity of 
manner, which is always offensive ; rather be reserved — even 
to your best friends. If you proceed with members of your 
family to a party, do not be seen talking with them. 



2815. Try to make every one at their ease ; and if you iBnd 
-other people are not so well bred as you could wish, take the 

^will for the deed, and never show, nor attempt to show, your 
disgust at them. 

2816. Try heartily to please everybody, and you will be 
pleased yourself; and, besides this, render yourself the most 
agreeable person in the room. 



2811. Should you chance to be thrown into the company 
of what the man in the farce calls a real live lord, do not in- 
terlard your talk with "my lord," and "your lordship." Sir 
is suflScient, after once addressing him as " my lord," to show 
that you are acquainted with his rank. Madam is to be used 
to a lady of title, to whom also the previous rule applies. 



• 2818. There are many talkers, but few who know how to 
converse agreeably. .. 

2819. Speak distinctly, neither too rapidly nor too slowly. 



2880. Accommodate the pitch of your voice to the hearing 
of the person with whom you are conversing. 



CONVEESATIOK. 531 

2881. Never speak with your mouth full. 



2882. Tell your jokes and laugh afterward. 



2883. Dispense with superfluous words — such as ''Well, I 
should think." 

2884. In society we sometimes meet opionated, selfish peo- 
ple, who fancy they know every thing, when in reality they 
know nothing ! 

2885. The real end of acquiring a polite manner is to make 
yourself pleasing, and your company acceptable to all. This 
must be done by little sacrifices — by curbing, if you be plagued 
with it, your desire to engross the conversation, or, on the 
contrary, breaking through your habitual taciturnity. 



2686. The woman who wishes her conversation to be agree- 
able, will avoid conceit or affectation, and laughter which is not 
natural and spontaneous. 



288*7. Her language will be easy and unstudied, marked by 
a graceful carelessness, which, at the same time, never over- 
steps the limits of propriety. 



2888. Her lips will readily yield to a pleasant smile ; she 
will not love to hiear herself talk ; her tones will bear the im- 
press of sincerity, and her eyes kindle with animation, as she 
speaks. 

2889. The art of pleasing is, in truth, the very soul of good 
breeding ; for the precise object of the latter is to render us 
agreeable to all with whom we associate ; to make us, at the 
same time, esteemed and loved. 



2890. We need scarcely advert to the rudeness of interrupt- 
ing any one who is speaking, or to the impropriety of pushing, 
to its full extent, a discussion which has become unpleasant. 



2891. Some men have a mania for Greek and Latin quota- 
tions ; this is peculiarly to be avoided. It is like pulling up 



532 iiRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

the stones from a tomb wherewith to kill the living. Nothing 
is more wearisome than pedantry. 



2892. If you feel your intellectual superiority to any one 
with whom you are conversing, do not seek to bear him down ; 
it would be an inglorious triumph, and a breach of good 
manners. 

2893. Beware, too, of speaking lightly of subjects which 
bear a sacred character. 



2894. Witlings occasionally gain a reputation in society ; 
but nothing is more insipid and in worse taste than their con- 
ceited harangues and self-sufficient air. 

2895. It is a common idea that the art of writing and the 
art of conversation are one ; this is a great mistake. A man 
of genius may be a very dull talker. 



2896. The two grand modes of making your conversation 
interesting, are to enliven it by recitals calculated to affect 
and impress your hearers, and to intersperse it with anecdotes 
and smart things. 



2897. It follows that all matter of offense in conversation 
should be avoided. The self-love of others is to be respected. 



2898. Therefore, no one is tolerated who makes himself the 
subject of his own commendation, nor who disregards the feel- 
ings of those whom he addresses. 

2899. There is as much demand for politeness and civility 
in conversation as in any other department of social inter- 
course. ___ 

2900. One who rudely interrupts another, does much the 
same thing as though he should, when walking with another, 
impertinently thrust himself before his companion, and stop his 
progress. . 

2901. Bules of Conduct. — The following excellent rules are 
from the diary of Mrs. Pry : — 



HEALTH AND WEALTH. 533 

2902. 1. Never lose any time ; I do not think that lost 
which is spent in amusement or recreation, some time every 
day ; but always be in the habit of being employed. 



2903. 2. Never err the least in truth. 



2904. 3. Never say any ill thing of a person when thou 
canst say a good thing of him ; not only speak charitably, but 
feel so. 

2905. 4. Never be irritable or unkind to any body. 



2906. 5. Never indulge thyself in luxuries that are not ne- 
cessary. 

2907. 6. Do all things with consideration ; and, when thy 
path to act right is most difficult, feel confidence in that Power 
alone which is able to assist thee, and exert thy own powers 
as far as they go. 



PAET XL 

HEALTH AND WEALTH. 

Eow to Preserve Health — Bathing , etc. — Medicine — OinU 
ments — Blisters — Poultices, etc, — Cholera — Domestic Sur- 
gery, etc. — Riches — Temperance — Dr, Franklin's Way to 
Wealth. 

THE PKESERVATION OF HEALTH. 

2908. In another place (see ''Health and Beauty," p. 89, 
etc.), I have given many useful hints on this subject. 



2909. Still more may be told ; and new suggestions, cautions, 
and remedies will be found in the following pages. 



2910. These Rules are given to persuade people to take 
care and preserve their health ; not to induce them needlessly 
to doctor themselves. 



534 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

2911. The First Bule for those in health is — take no medi- 
cine. 

2912. The Second Rule, — In sickness, send for the best 
physicians ; viz., those who give least medicine. 



2913. Pure atmospheric air is composed of nitrogen, oxy- 
gen, and a very small proportion of carbonic acid gas. Air 
once breathed has lost the chief part of its oxygen, and 
acquired a proportionate increase of carbonic acid gas. 



2914. Therefore, health requires that we breathe' the same 
air once only. 

2915. The solid part of our bodies is continually wasting, 
and requires to be repaired by fresh substances. 



2916. Therefore, food, which is to repair the loss, should be 
taken with due regard to the exercise and waste of the body. 



2917. The fluid part of our bodies also wastes constantly ; 
there is but one fluid in animals, which is water. 



2918. Therefore, water only is necessary,* and no artifice 
can produce a better drink. 



2919. The fluid of our bodies is to the solid in proportion 
as nine to one. 

2920. Therefore, a like proportion should prevail in the 
total amount of food taken. 



2921. Light exercises an important influence upon the 
growth and vigor of animals and plants. 



2922. Therefore, our dwellings should freely admit the solar 
rays. 

2923. Decomposing animal and vegetable substances yield 
various noxious gases, which enter the lungs and corrupt the 
blood. 



PRESERVATION OF HEALTH. 535 

2924. Therefore, all impurities should be kept away from 
our abodes, and every precaution be observed to secure a 
pure atmosphere. 

2925. Warmth is essential to all the bodily functions. 



2926. Therefore, an equal bodily temperature should be 
maintained by exercise, by clothing, or by fire. 



292t. Exercise warms, invigorates, and purifies the body; 
clothing preserves the warmth the body generates ; fire im- 
parts warmth externally. 



2928. Therefore, to obtain and preserve warmth, exercise 
and clothing are preferable to fire. 



2929. Fire consumes the oxygen of the air, and produces 
noxious gases. 

2930. Therefore, the air is less pure in the presence of 
candles, gas, or coal fire, than otherwise ; and the deteriora- 
tion should be repaired by increased ventilation. 



2931. The skin is a highly-organized membrane, full of 
minute pores, cells, blood-vessels, and nerves ; it imbibes 
moisture or throws it off, according to the state of the atmo- 
sphere and the temperature of the body. It also '^breathes," 
as do the lungs (though less actively). All the internal 
organs sympathize with the skin. 



2932. Therefore, it should be repeatedly cleansed. 



2933. Late hours and anxious pursuits exhaust the nervous 
system, and produce disease and premature death. 



2934. Therefore, the hours of labor and study should be 
short. 

2985. Mental and bodily Exercise are equally essential to 
the general health and happiness. 



2936. Therefore labor and study should succeed each other. 



536 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

293Y. Man will li^e most healthily upon simple solids and 
fluids, of which a sufficient but temperate quantity should be 
taken. 

2938. Therefore, strong drinks, tobacco, snuff, opium, and 
all mere indulgences should be avoided. 



2939. Sudden alternations of heat and cold are dangerous, 
especially to the young and the aged. 



2940. Therefore, clothing, in quantity and quality, should bo 
adapted to the alterations of night and day, and of the seasons. 



2941. And therefore, also, drinking cold water when the 
body is hot, and hot tea and soups when cold, are productive 
of many evils. ^ 

2942. Moderation in eating and drinking, short hours of 
labor and study, regularity in exercise, recreation, and rest, 
cleanliness, equanimity of temper and equality of temperature, 
these' are the great essentials to that which surpasses all wealth, 
health of mind and body. 



2943. Bed Clothes. — The perfection of dress, for day or 
night, where warmth is the purpose, is that which confines 
around the body sufficient of its own warmth, while it allows 
escape to the exhalations of the skin. 



2944. Where the body is allowed to bathe protractedly in 
its own vapors, we must expect an unhealthy effect upon the 
skin. 

2945. Where there is too little ventilating escape, insensible 
perspiration is checked, and something analogous to fever 
supervenes ; foul tongue, ill taste, and lack of morning appe- 
tite betray the evil. 

2946. Early Bising. — Dr. Wilson Philip, in his "Treatise 
on Indigestion," says : "Although it is of consequence to the 
debilitated to go early to bed, there are few things more hurt- 
ful to them than remaining in it too long." 



PRESERVATION OP HEALTH. 53T 

294T. Getting up an honr or two earlier, often gives a 
degree of vigor which nothing else can procure. 

2948. For those who are not much debilitated, and sleep 
well, the best rule is to get out of bed soon after waking in 
the morning. 

2949. This at first may appear too early, for the debilitated 
require more sleep than the healthy ; but rising early will 
gradually prolong the sleep on the succeeding night, till the 
quantity the patient enjoys is equal to his demand for it. 



. 2950. Lying late is not only hurtful, by the relaxation it 
occasions, but also by occupying that part of the day at which* 
exercise is most beneficial. 



2951. The difference between rising every morning at six 
and at eight, in the course of forty years, amounts to 29,200 
hours, or three years one hundred and twenty-one days and 
sixteen hours, which are equal to eight hours a day for exactly 
ten years. 

2952. Thus, rising at six will be the same as if ten years of 
life (a weighty consideration) were added, wherein we may 
command eight hours every day for the cultivation of our 
minds and the dispatch of business. 



2953. Development of the Lungs. — Much has been said and 
written upon diet, eating and drinking, but I do not recollect 
ever noticing a remark in any writer upon breathing, or the 
manner of breathing. Multitudes, and especially ladies in easy 
circumstances, contract a vicious and destructive mode of 
breathing. 

2954. They suppress their breathing, and contract the habit 
of short, quick breathing, not carrying the breath half way 
down the chest, and scarcely expanding the lower portions of 
the chest at all. 

2955. Lacing the bottom of the chest also greatly increases 
this evil, and confirms a bad habit of breathing. Children 
that move about a great deal in the open air^ and in no way 



538 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

laced, breathe deep and full to the bottom of the chest, and 

every part of it. , 

2956. So also with most out-door laborers, and persons who 
take much exercise in the open air, because the lungs give us 
the power of action ; and the more exercise we take, especially 
out of doors, the larger the lungs become, and are the less 
liable to disease. 

295^1. In all occupations that require standing, keep the 
person straight. 

2958. If at table, let it be high ; raised up nearly to the 
armpits, so as not to require you to stoop ; you will find the 
employment much easier — not one half so fatiguing ; whilst 
the form of the chest and symmetry of the figure will remain 
perfect. , 



BATHS, &c. 

(see pages 124 AND 125.) 

2959. Water is the means of personal purification. Use it 
freely. ^____ 

2960. Bathing. — If to preserve health be to save medical 
expenses, without even reckoning upon time and comfort, there 
is no part of the household arrangement so important to the 
domestic economist as cheap convenience for personal ablution. 



2961. Whoever fits up a bath in a house already built, must 
be guided by circumstances ; but it will always be proper to 
place it as near the kitchen fire-place as possible. 



2962. From thence it may be heated, or at least have its 
temperature preserved by means of hot air through tubes, or 
by steam prepared by the culinary fire-place, without interfer- 
ing with its ordinary uses. 



2963. A small boiler may be erected at a very small expense, 
in the bath-room, where circum&tances, do not permit these 
arrangements. 



BATHma. 539 

2964. Whenever a bath is wanted at a short warning, to 
boil the water necessary will always be the shortest mode ; but 
where it is in general daily use, the heating the water by steam 
will be found the cheapest and most convenient method. 



2965. Bathing tubs should never be left with water in them 
that has been used. Let off the water, and keep them dry as 
possible. 

2966. A hand-bath i^ always to be had when tegular bath- 
ing is not convenient. With a piece of sponge or an extra 
towel to wash with, your ablutions may b^ well performed 
every day. 

296 iT. Tepid water, or even quite warm water, will greatly 
refresh the system after violent fatigue ; but if a warm bath is 
taken, do not stay in it over ten minutes — indeed Jive minutes 
is long enough. 

2968. Jn cold bathing it should never be forgotten that 
every thing depends upon, the general power of the individual, 
the state of the system, especially of the skin, at the moment 
of immersion, and the season of the year. 



2969. If the reaction does not speedily take place, means 
must be employed to insure its so doing, or the use of the cold 
bath must be abandoned. 



2910. Delicate and feeble persons of all ages require a 
higher temperature of the bath, and a shorter stay in it than 
others. 

29T1. No person should bathe immediately after a full meal, 
particularly if there be an apoplectic tendency. 



2912. For a person in good health, early in the morning is 
the best time to bathe ; for one more delicate, from two to 
three hours after breakfast is preferable. 



2913. Never think of undressing and going into the water 
when greatly fatigued, or when the skin is covered with per- 
spiration. 



540 MRS. HALES RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

2974. In most cases moderate exercise is advantageous 
before bathing, but not exercise of a violent kind. 

29T5. Hints about Children, — The attempt to harden chil- 
dren by exposure to too great a degree of cold, is of the most 
injurious nature. 

2976. For infants and young children, it is ciear that water 
of a lower temperature than what feels cool to the hand of 
the nurse should be used ; but not cold water. 



2977. Cold bathing either produces acute diseases of the 
lungs, which are then very sensible to external impressions, or 
'disease of the digestive organs, leading to disease of the me- 
senteric glands, scrofula, water in the brain, or, if they survive 
a few years, to early consumption. 



2978. Wet the Head. — It is a good rule to wet the head 
before taking a plunge or a bath. 



2979. *' Cleanliness is next to^ godliness," is a maxim of 
Christian philosophy. 



2980. Exercise. — Exercise in the open air is of the first 
importance to the human frame, yet how many are in a manner 
deprived of it by their own want of management of their 
time ! 

2981. Women with slender means are for the most part des- 
tined to in-door occupations, and have but little time allotted 
ttem for taking the air, and that little time is generally sadly 
encroached upon by the ceremony of dressing to go out. 



2982. Whereas, if all were in readiness, the preparations 
might be accomplished in a few minutes, the walk not being 
curtailed by unnecessary delays. 



2983. It may appear a simple suggestion, but experience 
only will show how much time might be redeemed by habits 
of regularity ; such as putting the shawls, cloaks, gloves, shoes, 
&c., &c., or whatever is intended to be worn, in readiness, in- 



PRESBRYATION OF HEALTH. 541 

stead of having to search one drawer, then another, for possi- 
bly a glove or collar — wait for shoes being cleaned, &c. — and 
this when (probably) the out-going persons have to return to 
their employment at a given time. 



2984. Three principal points in the manner of taking exer- 
cise are necessary to be attended to : — 1. The kind of exercise. 
2. The proper time for exercisQ. 3. The duration of it. 



2985. With respect to the kinds of exercise, the various 
species of it may be divided into active and passive. Among 
the first, which admits of being considerably diversified, may 
be enumerated, walking, running, leaping, swimming, riding, 
fencing, the military exercise, different sorts of athletic 
games, &c. 

2986. Among the latter, or passive kinds of exercise, may 
be comprised riding in a carriage, sailing, friction, swing- 
ing, &c. 

2987. The first, or active exercises, are more beneficial to 
youth, to the middle-aged, to the robust in general, and par- 
ticularly to the corpulent and the plethoric. 



2988. The second or passive kinds of exercise, on the con- 
trary, are better calculated for children ; old, dry, and ema- 
ciated persons of a delicate and debilitated constitution ; and 
particularly to the asthmatic and consumptive. 



2989. The time at which exercise is most proper, depends 
on such a variety of concurrent circumstances, that it does not 
admit of being regulated by any general rules, and must there- 
fore be collected from the observations made on the effects 
of air, food, drink, &c. 



2990. With respect to the duration of exercise, there are 
other particulars, relative to a greater or less degree of fa- 
tigue attending the different species and utility of it in certain 
states of the mind and body, which must determine this con- 
sideration as well as the preceding. 



2991. That exercise is to be preferred which, with a view 



542 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

to brace and strengthen the body, we are most accustomed to, 
as any unusual one may be attended with a contrary effect. 



2992. Exercise should be begun and finished gradually, 
never abruptly. 

2993. Exercise in the open air has many advantages over 
that used within doors. 



2994. To continue exercise until a profuse perspiration or 
a great degree of weariness takes place, is far from being 
wholesome. 

2995. In the forenoon, when the stomach is not too much 
distended, muscular motion is both agreeable and healthful ; 
it strengthens digestion, and heats the body less than with a 
fall stomach ; and a good appetite after it is a proof that it 
has not been carried to excess. 



2996. But, at the same time, it should be understood, that 
it is not advisable to take violent exercise immediately before 
a meal, as digestion might thereby be retarded. 



2991. Neither should we sit down to a substantial dinner 
or supper immediately on returning from a fatiguing walk, at 
a time when the blood is heated, and the body in a state of 
perspiration from previous exertion, as the worst consequences 
may arise, especially where cooling dishes, salad, or a glass 
of cold drink is begun with. 



2998. Exercise is always hurtful after meals, from its im- 
peding digestion, by propelling those fluids too much toward 
the surface of the body which are designed for the solution of 
the food in the stomach. 



2999. Climate, — The action of medicines is modified by 
climate and seasons. In summer, certain medicines act more 
powerfully than in winter, and the same person cannot bear 
the dose in July that he could in December. 



3000. General Eealth, — Persons w^hose general health is 



ADMINISTRATION OP MEDICINE. 548 

good, bear stronger doses than the debilitated and those who 
have suffered for a time. 



3001. Idiosyncrasy. — Walker will inform you that this long 
term means a peculiar temperament or disposition not common 
to people generally. 

3002. For example, some persons cannot take calomel In 
the smallest dose without being salivated, or rhubarb without 
having convulsions ; others cannot take squills, opium, senna, 
&c., therefore it is wrong to insist upon their taking the«e 
medicines. 

3003. Forms best suited for Administration.-— Fluids aot 
quicker than solids, and powders sooner than pills. 



3004. Best method of Preventing the Nauseous Taste of 
Medicine. — Castor oil may be taken in milk, coffee, or spirits 
such as brandy ; but the best method of covering the nauseous 
flavor, is to put a table-spoonful of strained orange-juice in a 
wine-glass, pour the castor oil into the centre of the juice, and 
then squeeze a few drops of lemon-juice upon the top of the 
oil. 

3005. Cod-liver oil may be taken, like castor oil, in orange- 
juice. 

3006. Peppermint water almost prevents the nauseous taste 
of Epsom salts ; a strong solution of extract of liquorice covers 
the disagreeable taste of aloes ; milk, that of cinchona bark ; 
and cloves that of senna. 



3007. An excellent way to prevent the taste of medicines 
is to have the medicine in a glass, as usual, and a tumbler of 
water by the side of it, then take the medicine and retain it in 
the mouth, which should be kept closed, and if you then com- 
mence drinking the water, the taste of the medicine is washed 
away. 

3008. Even the bitterness of quinine and aloes may be 
prevented by this means. 



644 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

3009. Giving Medicine to Persons. — Medicines should be 
given in such a manner that the effect of the first dose should 
not have ceased when the next dose is given, therefore the in- 
tervals between the doses should be regulated accordingly. 



3010. Doses of Medicine for different Ages. — It must be 
plain to every one that children do not require such powerful 
medicine as adults or old people. 



3011. Be careful to give the least possible dose that will 
have effect. The less medicine swallowed, the better for the 
patient. 

> 

TERMS EXPRESSING THE PROPERTIES 
OP MEDICINES. 

3012. These terms or names should be carefully remembered, 
and their explanations. 



3013. Absorbents are medicines which destroy acidities in 
the stomach and bowels, such as magnesia, prepared chalk, &c. 



3014. Alteratives are medicines which restore health to the 
constitution, without producing any sensible effect, such as 
sarsaparilla, sulphur, &c. 



3015. Analeptics are medicines that restore the strength 
which has been lost by sickness, such as gentian, bark, &c. 

3016. Anodynes are medicines which relieve pain, and they 
are divided into three kinds, paregorics^ hypnotics^ and nar- 
cotics (see these terms) ; camphor is anodyne as well as narcotic. 



301T. Antacids are medicines which destroy acidity, such as 
lime, magnesia, soda, &c. 



3018. Antalkalies are medicines given to neutralize alka- 
lies in the system, such as citric, nitric, or sulphuric acids, &c. 



3019. Anthelmintics are medicines used to expel and destroy 
worms from the stomach and intestines, such as turpentine, 
cowhage, male fern, &c. 



TERMS EXPRESSING THE PROPERTIES OF MEDICINES. 545 

3020. Antibilious are medicines which are useful in bilious 
affections, such as calomel, &c. 



3021. Antirheumatics are medicines used for the cure of 
rheumatism, such as colchicum, iodide of potassium, &c. 



3022. Antiscorbutics are medicines against scurvy, such as 
citric acid, &c. 

3023. Antiseptics are substances used to correct putrefac- 
tion, such as bark, camphor, &c. 



3024. Antispasmodics are medicines which possess the 
power of overcoming spasms of the muscles, or allaying severe^ 
pain from any cause unconnected with inflammation, such as 
valerian, ammonia, &c. 



3025, Aperients are medicines which move the bowels 
gently, such as dandelion root, &c. 



3026. Aromatics are cordial, spicy, and agreeably-flavored 
medicines, such as cardamoms, cinnamon, &c. 



302Y. Astringents are medicines which contract the fibres 
of the body, diminish excessive discharges, and act indirectly 
as tonics, such as oak-bark, galls, &c. 



3028. Attenuants are medicines which are supposed to thin 
the blood, such as ammoniated iron, &c. 



3029. Balsamics are medicines of a soothing kind, such as 
Tolu, Peruvian balsam, &c. 



3030. Carminatives are medicines which allay pain in the 
stomach and bowels, and expel flatulence, such as aniseed- 
water, &c. 

3031. Cathartics are strong purgative medicines, such as 
jalap, &c. 

3032. Cordials are exhilarating and warming medicines, 
such as aromatic confections, &c. 

35 



546 MRS. HALE^S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

3033. Corroborants are medicines and food which increase 
the strength, such as iron, gentian, sago, &c. 



3034. Demulcents correct acrimony, diminish irritation, and 
soften parts by covering their surfaces with a mild and viscid 
matter, such as linseed tea, &c. 



^ 3035. Deobstruents are medicines which remove obstruc- 
tions, such as iodide of potash, &c. 



3036. Detergents clean the surfaces over which they pass, 
such as soap. 

3037. Diaphoretics produce perspiration, such as tartrate 
of antimony, &c. 

3038. Digestives are remedies applied to ulcers or wounds, 
to promote the formation of matter, such as resin ointments, 
warm poultices, &c. 

3039. Discutients possess the power of repelling or resolv- 
ing tumors, such as galbanum, &c. 

3040. D'iuretics act upon the kidneys and bladder, and in- 
crease the flow of urine, such as nitre, squills, &c. 



3041. Drastics are violent purgatives, such as gamboge, &c. 



3042. Emetics produce vomiting, or the discharge of the 
contents of the stomach, such as mustard, tartar emetic, warm 
water, bloodroot, &c. 

3043. Emollients are remedies used externally to soften the 
parts they are applied to, such as spermaceti, palm oil, &c. 



3044. Epispastics are medicines which blister or cause effu- 
sion of serum under the cuticle, such as Spanish flies, &c. 



3045. Errhines are medicines which produce sneezing, such 
as tobacco, &c. 

3046. Escharotics are medicines which corrode or destroy 



TERMS EXPRESSING THE PROPERTIES OF MEDICINES. 54T 

the vitality of the part to which they are applied, such as 
lunar caustic, &c. 

304T. Expectorants are medicines which increase-expectora- 
tion, or the discharge from the bronchial tubes, such as ipeca- 
cuanha, &c. 

3048. Febrifuges are remedies used in fevers, such as anti- 
monial wines, &c. 

3049. Hydragogues are medicines which have the effect of 
removing the fluid of dropsy, by producing water evacuations, 
such as gamboge, calomel, &c. 



3050. Hypnotics are medicines that relieve pain by procur- 
ing sleep, such as hops, &c. 

3051. Laxatives are medicines which cause the bowels to 
act rather more than natural, such as manna, &c. 



3052. ^N'arcotics are medicines which cause sleep or stupor, 
and allay pain, such as opium, &c. 



3053. Nutrients are remedies that nourish the body, such 
as sugar, sago, &c. 

3054. Paregorics are medicines which actually assuage 
pain, such as compound tincture of camphor, &c. 



3055. Prophylactics are remedies employed to prevent the 
attack of any particular disease, such as quinine, &c. 



3056. Purgatives are medicines that promote the evacuation 
of the bowels, such as senna, &c. 



' 3051. Refrigerants are medicines which suppress an unu- 
sual heat of the body, such as wood-sorrel, tamarinds. 



3058. Rubefacients are medicaments which cause redness of 
the skin, such as mustard, &c. 



3059. Sedatives are medicines which depress the nervous 



548 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

energy, and destroy sensation, so as to compose, such as fox- 
glove, &e. 

3060. Sialagogues are medicines which promote the flow 
o£ saliva or spittle, such as salt, calomel, &c. 



3061. Soporifics are medicines which induce sleep, such as 
hops, &c. 

3062, Stimulants are remedies which increase the action of 
the heart and arteries, or the energy of the part to which they 
are applied, such as sassafras, which is an iaternal stimulant, 
and savine, which is an external one. 



3*063. Stomachics restore the tone of the stomach, such as 
gentian, &c. . 

3064. Styptics are medicines which constrict the surface of 
a part, and prevent the effusion of blood, such as kino, &c. 



3065. Sudorifics promote profuse perspiration or sweating, 
such as ipecacuanha, &c. 



3066. Tonics give general strength to the constitution, re- 
store the natural energies, and improve the tone of the sys- 
tem, such as chamomile, &c. 



306t. Vesicants are medicines which blister, such as strong 
liquid ammonia, &c. 

3068. Lotions, &c. — Lotions are usually applied to the parts 
required, by means of a piece of linen rag wetted with them, 
or by wetting the bandage itself. 



3069. Emollient, — Use decoction of marsh-mallow or lin- 
seed. . 

30Y0. Elder-flowers, — Add two drachms and a half of 
elder-flowers to one quart of boiling water, infuse for one hour, 
and strain. Use as a discutient. 



30 tl. Sedative. — Dissolve one drachm of extract of hen- 
bane in twenty-four drachms of water. 



OINTMENTS AND CERATES 549 

30 Y 2. Opium. — Mix two drachms of bruised opium with half 
a pint of boiling water, allow it to grow cold, and use for 
painful ulcers, bruises, &c. 



301^3. Decoctions, — These preparations soon spoil, and 
therefore should only be made in small quantities, particularly 
in summer. 

30Y4. Of Chimaphila, — Take one ounce of pyrola, (chima- 
phila or winter-green) and boil it in a pint and a half of water 
until it is only one pint; then strain. 



3015. Dose, ffora one to two ounces, four times a day. Use 
in dropsies, as a diuretic. 



3016. Of Logwood. — Boil one ounce and a half of bruised 
logwood in two pints of water until it comes to one pint; then 
add one drachm of bruised cassia, and strain. 



30tT. Dose J from one to two ounces. Use as an astringent. 



3078. Of Dandelion. — Take two ounces of the freshly- 
sliced root, and boil in two pints of water until it comes to 
one pint ; then add one ounce of compound tincture of horse- 
raddish. _____ 

3079. Dose, .from two to four ounces. Use in a sluggish 
state of the liver. 



OINTMENTS AND CERATES. 

3080. These remedies are used as topical applications to 
parts, generally ulcers, and are usually spread upon linen or 
other materials. 

3081. Camphorated. — Mix half an ounce of camphor with 
one ounce of lard, having, of course, previously powdered the 
camphor. 

3082. Used as a discutient and stimulant in indolent tumors. 



•s 



550 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

3083. Chalk. — Mix as much prepared chalk as you can into 
some lard, so as to form a thick ointment. 



3084. Use as an application to burns and scalds. 



3085. For Itch.-^M.ix four drachms of sublimed sulphur, 
two ounces of lard, and two drachms of sulphuric acid to- 
gether. This is to be rubbed into the body. 

3086. For Scrofulous Ulcerations. — Mix one drachm of 
ioduret of zinc and one ounce of lard together. 



3081. Use twice a day in the ulcerations. 



EMBROCATIONS AND LINIMENTS. 

3088. These remedies are used externally as local stimulants, 
to relieve deep-seated inflammations when other means cannot 
be employed, as they are more easily applied locally. 



3089. Liniments are to be rubbed on the skin as the patient 
can bear. _^ 

3090. Anodyne and Discutient. — Take two drachms of 
scraped white soap, half a drachm of extract of henbane, and 
dissolve them by a gentle heat in six ounces of olive oil. 



3091. Used in doses of two or three drachms at a time, for 
glandular enlargements which are painful and stubborn. 



3092. Strong Ammoniated. — Add one ounce of strongliquid 
ammonia (Liquoris ammomce fortis) to two ounces of olive 
oil ; shake them well together until they are properly mixed. 

3093. Use — employed as a stimulant in rheumatic pains, 
paralytic numbness, chronic glandular enlargements, lumbago, 
sciatica, &c. 

3094. Compound Ammoniated. — Add six teaspoonsful of 
oil of turpentine to the strong ammoniated liniment above. 

3095. Use for the diseases mentioned under the head of 



- f 

strong ammoniated liniment, and chronic affections of the knee 
and ankle-joints. 

3096. Lime and Oil. — Take equal parts of common linseed 
oil and lime-water {Liquor calcis)^ and shake well. 



3097. Use, applied to burns, scalds, sun-peelings, &c. 



3098. Camphorated. — Take half an ounce of camphor, and 
dissolve it in two ounces of olive oil. 



3099. Use as a stimulant^ soothing application in stubborn 
breasts, glandular enlargements, dropsy of the belly, and rheu- 
matic pains. _____ 

3100. Soap Liniment with Spanish Flies. — Take three 
ounces and a half of soap-liniment, and half an ounce of tinc- 
ture of Spanish flies : mix and shake well. 

3101. Use as a stimulant to chronic bruises, spraing^ rhett- 
inatic pains, and indolent 3Wellirigs. 



3102. Turpentine, — Take two ounces and a half of resin 
cerate (ceratum rcsinGs)^ and melt it by standing the vessel in 
hot water ; then add one ounce and a half of oil of turpentine, 
and mix. * 

3103. Use as a stimulant application to ulcers, burns, 
scalds, &c. 



ENEMAS 

3104. Are a peculiar kind of medicine, administered by in- 
jecting them into the rectum or outlet of the body. 



3105. The intention is either to empty the bowels, kill 
worms, protect the lining membrane of the intestines from 
injury, restrain copious discharges, allay spasms in the bowels, 
or nourish the body. These clysters, or glysters, are adminis- 
tered by means of bladders and pipes, or a proper apparatus. 

3106. Laxative. — Take two ounces of Epsom salts, and 



552 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

dissolve in three-quarters of a pint of gruel, or thin broth, with 
an ounce of olive oil. Use as all enemas are used. 



31 OY. Nutritive, — Take twelve ounces of strong beef tea, 
and thicken with hartshorn shavino;s or arrow-root. 



3108. Turpentine. — Take half an ounce of oil of turpentine, 
the yolk of one egg, and half a pint of gruel. 

3109. Mix the turpentine and o^gg, and then add the gruel. 
Use as an anthelmintic. 



3110. Common. — Dissolve one ounce of salt in twelve 
ounces of gruel. 

3111. Castor Oil. — Mix two ounces of castor oil with one 
drachm of starch, then rub them together, and add fourteen 
ounces of thin gruel. 

3112. Use — purgative. 



3113. Opium. — Rub two grains of opium with two ounces 
of starch, then add two ounc<3s of warm water. 



3114. Use as an anodyne, in colic, spasms, &c. 

3115. Oil. — Mix four ounces of olive oil with half an ounco 
of mucilage and half a pint of warm water. 



3116. Use as a demulcent. 



3117. Assafoetida. — Dissolve two drachms of the gum in a 
pint of barley-water. 

3118. Used in convulsions from teething. 



3119. Gargles.— See pages lOt, 245, and 246. 



3120. Extracts are made by evaporating the liquors obtained 
by infusion or decoction, but these can be bought much 
cheaper and better of chemists and druggists, and so can tinc- 
tures, confections, cerates, plasters, and syrups. 



rouLTicES. 553 

3121. Method of Ascertaining the State of the Lungs, — Per- 
sons desirous of ascertaining the true state of their lungs, are 
directed to draw in as much breath as they conveniently can ; 
they are then to count as far as they are able, in a slow and 
audible voice, without drawing in more breath. 



3122. The number of seconds they can continue counting 
must be carefully observed ; in a consumption the time does 
not exceed ten, and is frequently less than six seconds; in 
pleurisy and pneumonia it ranges from nine to four seconds. 
When the lungs are in a sound condition, the time will range 
as high as from twenty to thirty-five seconds. 

3123. Appetite. — Appetite is frequently lost through exces- 
sive use of stimulants, food taken too hot, sedentary occupa- 
tion, Gostiveness, liver disorder, and want of change of air. 
The first endeavor should be to ascertain and remove the 
cause. 

3124. Change of diet, and change of air, will frequently be 
found more beneficial than medicines. 



3125. Bile, Bilious or Liver Complaints. — Abstinence from 
malt liquors, cool homoeopathic cocoa for drink, no tea or coffee, 
few vegetables, and little bread ; bacon in a morning, and well- 
cooked fresh animal food once a day. 



3126. One common cause of putrid and malignant fevers is 
the want of cleanliness. 



POULTICES. 
[see pages 112, 113, AND 230, 231.] 

3121. Poultices should be applied as hot as the patient can 
bear. Cold poultices do no good ; remove them. 

3128. Apple Poultice. — Apples pared, cored and well 
boiled, theft well washed into a pulp, form a very good 
poultice. 

3129. Starch. Poultice. — Starch,,any quantity ; thicken with 
boiling water. When a little cool, stir in a little lard or oil. 



554 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

3130. Slippery Elm Poultice. — Take slippery elm in pow- 
der, and mix with water until somewhat thick, then boil it a 
few minutes. It is to be applied warm. 



3131. Yeast Poultice, — Wheat flour, one pound ; yeast, 
half a pint. Mix them together over a gentle heat until the 
mixture begins to rise, then apply warm. 



3132. Ilustard Poultice. — Flour of mustard, one part ; flax- 
seed meal, one part. Make into a paste with water. A little 
oil or lard shoulcj^be added to prevent its sticking. 

3133. Poultice made of Hops. — Boil a handful of hops for 
a few minutes in a pint of water, in a covered vessel, squeeze 
out the juice and strain. This liquor is now to be put again 
on the fire and thickened with Indian meal, and a little lard 
added as it becomes cool. 



3134. Spice Poultice. — Cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and 
ginger, of each equal quantities ; honey or molasses to mix. 



3135. Alum Poultice. — Put the white of a couple of eggs 
into a plate, and then with a piece of alum between the thumb 
and finger stir it into a curd. 



3136. Ginger Poultice. — Wet flannel in hot vinegar and 
sprinkle on ground ginger — good for toothache. 



313t. Hot Water. — In bruises, hot water is most efficacious, 
both by means of insertion and fomentation, in removing pain, 
and totally preventing discoloration and stiffness. It has the 
same effect after a blow. It should be applied as quickly as 
possible, and as hot as it can be borne. 



3138. Insertion in hot water will cure that troublesome 
and fearful thing called a whitlow. 



3139. The efficacy of hot water in preventing the ill effects 
of fatigue is too well known to require notice. 

3140. Blisters.— See pages 113 and 3U. 



PLASTERS, ETC. 555 

3141. Plasters, Cerates, etc. — See page 238. 



3142. Food for the Sick.— See page 230, &c. 



3143. Fevers and Remedies, — See pages 111, 112. 



3144. Mucilage of Oura Arabic. — Kub one ouncaof gum 
arable in a mortar, with four ounces of warm water. Use for 
for coughs, &c. 

3145. Mucilage of Starch. — Kub one drachm of starch with 
a little water, and gradually add five ounces of water, then 
boil until it forms a mucilkge. 

3146. Use for enemas, topical application and demulcent. 



3141, Cutaneous Eruptions. — The following mixture is 
very useful in all cutaneous eruptions: 



3148. Ipecacuanha wine, four drachms; flowers of sulphur, 
two drachms ; tincture of cardamoms, one ounce. Mix. 

3149. Dose-^one teaspoonful to be taken three times a day, 
in a wine-glassful of water. (See page 232.) 



3150. Small Pox Marks. — Long observation has convinced 
me that nothing so effectually removes these disfigurements as 
gently rubbing the face with a soft towel immediately after 
washing. This practice, which is free from the objections 
which may be made against external applications (\vhich are 
usually violent irritants), quickens the circulation of the blood, 
producing exfoliation and the formation of new tissues, and at 
the same time restoring to the cheek its healthy color, which 
is generally lost by confluent small-pox. — Dr. Cox. 



3151. Mental and bodily exercise are equally essential to the 
general health and happiness. 



3152. Therefore, labor and study should succeed each other. 



3153. Man will Uve'most healthily upon simple solids and 



556 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

fluids, of which a sufficient but temperate quantity should be 
taken. 

3154. Therefore, strong drinks, tobacco, snuff, opium, and 
all mere iuduTo-ences should be avoided. 



SPECIAL RULES FOR THE PREVENTION OP 
CHOLERA. 

3155. We urge the necessity, in all cases of cholera, of an 
instant recourse to medical aid. 



3156. Also under every form and variety of indisposition : 
for all disorders are found to merge in the dominant disease. 



3151. Let immediate relief be sought under disorder of the 
bowels especially, however slight. The invasion of cholera 
may thus be readily prevented. 



3158. Let every impurity, animal and vegetable, be quickly 
removed to a distance from the habitations, such as slaughter- 
houses, pig-sties, cesspools, necessaries, and all other domestic 
nuisances. 

3159. Let all uncovered drains be carefully and frequently 
cleansed. 

3160. Let the grounds in and around the habitations be 
drained, so as effectually to carry off moisture of every kind. 



3161. Let all partitions be removed from within and with- 
out habitations, which unnecessarily impede ventilation. 



3162. Let every room be daily thrown open for the admis- 
sion of fresh air ; this should be done about noon, when the 
atmosphere is most likely to be dry. 

3163. Let dry scrubbing be used in domestic cleansing in 
place of water cleansing. 



SPECIAL RULES FOR. THE PREVENTIOX OF CHOLERA. 55 1 

3164. Let excessive fatigue, and exposure to damp and 
cold, especially during the night, be avoided. 

3165. Let the use of cold drinks and acid liquors, especially 
under fatigue, be avoided, or when the body is heated. 



3166. Let the use of cold acid fruits and vegetables oe 
avoided. 

3161. Let excess in the use of ardent and fermented liquors 
and tobacco be avoided. 



3168. Let a poor diet, and the use of impure water in cook- 
ing, or for drinking, be avoided. 



3169. Let the wearing of wet and insufficient clothes be 
avoided. 

3170. Let a flannel or woolen belt be worn round the person. 

31 n. Let personal cleanliness be carefully observed. 

3172. Let every cause tending to depress the moral and 
physical energies be carefully avoided. Let exposure to 
extremes of heat and cold be avoided. 



3173. Let crowding of persons within houses and apart- 
ments be avoided. 

3174. Let sleeping in low or damp rooms be avoided. 



3175. Let fires be kept up during the night in sleeping or 
adjoining apartments, the night being the period of most dan- 
ger from attack, especially under exposure to cold or damp. 



3176. Let all bedding and clothing be daily exposed during 
winter and spring to the fire, and in summer to the heat of the 
Bun. 

3177. Let the dead- be buried in places remote from the 
habitation of the living. 



558 MRS. bale's receipts for the million-. 

31T8. By the timely adoption of simple means such as 
these, cholera or other epidemics will be made to lose its 
venom. 



RULES FOR A SICK ROOM. 
3119. See pages 236 and 237. 



3180. Keep the patient, and all about him, perfectly clean ; 
and secure, as far as possible, pure air. 



3181. The chamber should be ventilated at least once a day, 
or twice if it can be borne. 



3182. The bed clothes should be carried out into the open 
air, if it is dry, if not, into the next room ; and if the patient 
is unable to sit up meanwhile, let them be supplied by others. 

3183. Keep the room quiet, and in perfect order. 

3184. Let the sick be addressed in a gentle voice, and the 
conversation, if any is admitted, be pleasant and cheering. 

3185. The nurse and friends should express sympathy with 
the sufferer, but at the same time seek to inspire courage, and 
patience to endure. 

3186. All vials and powders should be labeled, to prevent 
fatal mistakes. 

318T. The beds should be made at least once a day, and if 
the patient can bear it, twice. Carry the beds out into the 
open air, or if damp, into another room. 



3188. Keep ^e skin clean by daily ablutions : change the 
garments frequently, and rinse the mouth often. 



3189. A nurse should be of a pleasant, agreeable, persua- 
sive, and even temper, with great patience to bear with the 
whims and unreasonable fretfalness that often appear in the 
sick. 



RULES FOR A SICK ROOM. 559 

3190. Never dispute with a very sick person, nor reprove 
him for any seeming inconsistency. Remember that he is 
scarcely a responsible being. 



3191. To prevent Pitting after Small-Pox, — Spread a 
sheet of thin leather with the ointment of ammoniacum with 
mercury, and cut out a place for the mouth, eyes, and nostrils. 



3192. This forms what is called a mask, and after anointing 
the eye-lids with a little blue ointment (unguentum hydrar- 
gyri), it should be applied to the face, and allowed to remain 
for three days for the distinct kind, and four days for the run- 
ning variety. Period to apply it : 



3193. Before the spots fill with matter, although it will 
answer sometimes even after they have become pustulous. It 
may be applied to any part in the same way. 



3194. Precautions to be Observed in giving Medicines, — 
Sex. — Medicines for females should not be so strong as those 
for males, therefore it is advisable to reduce the doses about 
one-eighth. 



3195. Temperament — Persons of a phlegmatic tempera- 
ment bear stimulants and purgatives better than those of a 
sanguine temperament ; therefore the latter require smaller 
doses. 



3196. Habits. — Purgatives never act so well upon persons 
accustomed to take them, as upon those who are not ; there- 
fore it is better to change the form of purgative from pill to 
potion, powder to draught, or aromatic to saline. Purgatives 
should never be given when there is an irritable state of the 
bowels. 



319t. Stimulants and narcotics never act so quickly upon 
persons accustomed to use spirits freely as upon those who 
live abstemiously. 



560 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 



DOMESTIC SURGERY. 

3198. This will comprise such hints and~ advice as will en- 
able any one to act on an emergency, or in ordinary trivial 
accidents requiring simple treatment ; and also to distinguish 
between serious and simple accidents, and the best means to 
adopt in all cases that are likely to fall under a person's 
notice. 

3199* These hints will be of the utmost value to the heads 
of families, to emigrants, and to persons who are frequently 
called upon to attend upon the sick. 



3200. We strongly recommend the parent, emigrant or nurse 
to read over these directions occasionally, to regard it as a 
duty, to do so at least three or four times a year, so as to be 
prepared for emergencies whenever they may arise. 



3201. When accidents occur, people are too excited to ac- 
quire immediately a knowledge of what they should do ; and 
many lives have been lost for want of this knowledge. 



3202. Study, therefore, at moderate intervals, the domestic 
surgery, treatment of poisons, rules for the prevention of ac- 
cidents, how to escape from fires, &c., which will be found in 
various pages of this book. 



3203. Let it be impressed upon your mind that the Index 
will enable you to refer to any thing you may require in a 
moment. 

3204. Dressings are substances usually applied to parts 
for the purpose of soothing, promoting their reunion when 
divided, protecting them from external injuries, as a means of 
applying various medicines, to absorb discharges, protect the 
surrounding parts, and securing cleanliness. 



3205. Certain instruments are required for the application 
of dressings in domestic surgery, viz. — Scissors, a pair of 
tweezers, or simple forceps, a knife, needles and thread, a razor, 
a lancet, a piece of lunar caustic in a quill, and a sponge. 



DOMESTIC SURGERY. 561 

8206. The materials required for dressings, consist of lint, 
scraped linen, carded cotton, tow, ointment spread on calico, 
adhesive plaster, compresses, pads, poultices, old rags of linen 
or calico, and water. 

o20t. The following rules should be attended to in apply- 
ing dressings. Always prepare the new dressings before 
removing the old ones. 

3208. Always have hot and cold water at hand, and 2^ 
vessel to place the foul dressings in. 



3209. Have one or more persons at hand ready to assist, 
and tell each person what they are to do before you commence, 
it prevents confusion; thus, one is to wash out and hand the 
sponges, another to heat the adhesive plaster, or hand the 
bandages and dressings, and, if requisite, a third to support 
the limb, &c. 

3210. Always stand on the outside of a limb to dress it- 
Place the patient in as easy a position as possible, so as not 
to fatigue him. Arrange the bed qf'ier changing the dress- 
ings, but in some cases you will have to do so before the pa- 
tient is placed on it. * =» 

3211. Never be in a hurry when applying dressings, do it 
quietly. When a patient requires moving from one bed to 
another, the best wa.y is for one person to stand on each side 
of the patient, and each to place an arm behind his back, 
while he passes bis arms over their necks ; then let their other 
arms be passed under his thighs, and by holding each other's 
hands, the patient can be raised with ease, and removed to 
another bed- 

3212. If the leg is injured, a third person sliould steady it, 
and if the arm, the same precaution should be adopted. 



3213. Sometimes a stout sheet is passed under the patient, 
and by several people holding the sides, the patient is lifted 
without any fatigue or much disturbance. 



3214. Lint may be made in a hurry, by nailing the corners 
36 



562 MRS. halk's receipts for the million. 

of a piece of old linen to a board, and scraping its surface 
with a knife. It is used either alone or spread with ointment. 

3215. Scraped lint is the fine filaments from ordinary lint, 
and is used to stimulate ulcers and absorb discharges ; it is 
what the French call charpie. 

3216. Scraped lint is made into various shapes, for particu- 
lar purposes. 

321T. For example, when it is screwed up into a conical or 
wedge-like shape, it is called a tenty and is used to dilate fis- 
tulous openings, so as to allow the matter to escape freely, to 
plug wounds, so as to promote the formation of a clot of 
blood, and thus arrest bleeding. 

3218. When it is rolled into little balls they are called hou- 
letteSj and are used for absorbing matter in cavities, or blood 
in wounds. ^ 

3219. Carded cotton is used as a dressing for superficial 
• burns, and care should be taken to free it from specks, as flies 

are apt to lay their eggs there, and generate maggots. 

3220. Tow is chiefly employed as a padding for splints, as 
compresses, and also as an outer dressing where there is much 
discharore from a surface. 



3221. Ointments are spread on calicoes, lint, or even thin 
layers of tow by means of a knife ; they should not be spread 
too thick. 

3222. Adhesive plaster is cut into strips, ranging in width 
according, to the nature of the wound, &c., but the usual width 
is about three-quarters of an inch. 

3223. Isinglass plaster is not so irritating as diachylon, and 
is more easily removed. 



3224. Compresses are made of pieces of linen, calico, lint, 
or tow, doubled or cut into various shapes. 



BANDAGES. 563 

3225. They are used to confine dressings in their places, 
and to apply an equal pressure on parts. 



3226. They should be free from darns^ hems, and knots. 

322t. Ordinary compresses are square, oblong, and trian- 
gular. 

3228. The pierced compress is made by folding up a square 
piece of linen five or six times on itself, and then nicking the 
surface with scissors, so as to cut out small pieces. 



3229. It is then opened out, and spread with ointment. 



3230. It is applied to discharging surfaces, for the purpose 
of allowing the matter to pass freely through the holes, and is 
frequently covered with a thin layer of tow. 

3231. Compresses are also made in the shape of a Maltese 
cross, and half a cross, sometimes split singly, and at other 
times doubly : or they are graduated by placing square pieces 
of folded cloth on one another, so arranged that they decrease 
in size each time. 

3232. They are used for keeping up pressure upon certain 
parts. 

3233. Pads are made by sewing tow inside pieces of linen, 
or folding linen and sewing the pieces together. They are 
used to keep off pressure from parts, such as that caused by 
splints in fractures. 



BANDAGES. 

3234. Bandages are strips of calico, linen, flannel, muslin, elas- 
tic webbing, bunting, or some other substance, of various lengths, 
such as three, four, eight, ten, or twelve yards, and one, one 
and a-half, two, two and a-half, three, four, or six inches wide, 
free from hems or darns ; soft and unglazed. 



3235. They are better after they have been washed. 



564 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

3236. Bandages are simple and coraponnd ; the fcH'raer are 
simple slips rolled up tightly like a roll of ribbon. 



323t. Ttiere is also another simple. kind which is rolled from 
both ends — this is called a double-headed bandage. 



3238. The compound bandages are formed of many pieces. 



3239. Bandages for the head should be two inches wide and 
five yards long; for the neck, two inches wide' and three yards 
long; for the arm, two inches wide and seven yards long ; for 
the leg, two inches and a half wide and seven yards long ; for 
the thigh, three inches wide and eight yards long ; and for the 
body, four or six inches wide and ten or twelve yards long. 



3240. To apply a single-headed bandage, lay the outside of 
the end next to the part to be bandaged, and to hold the roll 
between the little, ring, and middle hngers and the palm of 
the left hand, using the thumb and fore-finger of the same 
hand to guide it, and the right hand to keep it firm, and pass 
the bandage partly round the leg toward the left hand. 



3241. It is sometimes necessary to reverse this order, and 
therefore it is well to be able to use both hands. 



3242. Circular bandages are used for the neckj to retain 
dressings on. any part of it, or for blisters, setons, &c.; for the* 
head J to keep dressings on the forehead or any part contained 
within a circle passing round the head ; for the arm, previous 
to bleeding; for the /e^, above the knee; and for the^n- 
gerSj &c. 

3243. To confine the ends of bandages some persons use 
pins, others slit the end for a short distance, and tie the 
two strips into a knot, and some use a strip of adhesive 
plaster. 

3244. Always place the point of a pin in such a position 
that it should not be likely to prick the patient, or the person 
dressing the limb, or be likely to draw out by using the limb : 
therefore, as a general rule, turn the head of the pin from the 
free end of the bandage, or toward the upper part of the limb 



BANDAGflS. 565 

S245. The oblique bandage is generally used for arms and 
legs, to retain dressings 

3246. The spiral bandage is generally applied to the trunk 
and extremities, but it is apt to fall off even when very care- 
fnlly applied ; therefore we generally use another called the 
recurrent, which folds back again. 

3241. T\\Q recurrent bandage is the best kind of bandage 
that we can employ for general purposes. 



3248. The circular bandage is formed by horizontal turns, 
each of which overlaps the one made before it. 



3249. The spiral consists of spiral turns. 



3250. The oblique follows a course oblique or slanting to 
the centre of the limb. ^__ 

3251. The recurrent folds back again to the part whence 
it started. 

3252. A bandage for the chest is always placed upon the 
patient in a sitting posture ; and it may be put on in circles 
or spirally, 

3253. Use, in fractures of the ribs, to retain dressings, and 
after severe contusions. 

3254. A bandage for the belly is placed on the patient as 
directed in the last ; if spirally, carrying it from above down- 
ward. 

3255. Use, to compress the belly after dropsy, or retain 
dressings. _^ 

3256. The hand is bandaged by crossing the bandage over 
the back of the hand. 

3257. Use, to retain dressings. 



3258. For the head, a bandage may be circular, or spiral 



566 MRS. HALE'S receipts for TH32 MILLION. 

or both ; in the latter case, commence by placing one circular 
turn just over the ears ; then bring diDvvn from left to right, 
and round the head again, so as to alternate a spiral with a 
circular turn. 

3259. Use, to retain dressings on the head or over the eye ; 
but this form soon gets slack. The circular bandage is the 
best, crossing it over both eyes. 



3260. For the Foot. — Place the end just above the outer 
ankle, and make two circular turns, to prevent its slipping ; 
then bring it down from the inside of the foot over the instep 
toward the outer part ; pass it under the sole of the foot, and 
upward and inward over the instep toward the inner ankle, 
then round the ankle, and repeat again. 

3261. Use, to retain dressings to the instep, heel or ankle. 



3262. For the leg and foot, commence and proceed as 
directed in 2213 ; then continue it up the leg as ordered in 
3247. 

3263- As it sometimes happens that it is necessary to apply 
a bandage at once, and the materials are not at hand, it is 
desirable to know how to substitute something else that any 
one may apply with ease. 



3264. This is found to be effected by handkerchiefs, and an 
experienced surgeon has paid great attention to this subject, 
and brought it to much perfection. It is to him, therefore, 
tliat we are indebted for most of these hints. 



3265. Any ordinary handkerchief will do ; but a square of 
linen, folded into various shapes, answers better. 



•3266. The shapes generally required are as follows : — The 
triangle, the long square, the cravat, and the cord. 



326Y. The triangular handkerchief is made by folding it 
from corner to corner. Use, as a bandage for the head. 



BANDAGES. 56T 

3268. Application. — Place the base round the head, and the 
short part hanging down behind, then tie the long ends over it. 

3269. The long-square is made by folding the handkerchief 
into three parts, or double it once upon itself. 



32^0. Use, as a bandage to the ribs, belly, &c. If one 
handkerchief is not long enough, sew two together. 



32H. The cravat is folded as usual with cravats. Use, as 
a bandage for the head, arms, legs, feet, neck, &c. 

3212. T\iQ cord is used to compress vessels, when a knot is 
made in it, and placed over the vessel to be compressed. It 
is merely a handkerchief twisted in its long diameter. 



3213. Sometimes it is necessary to apply two or more 
handkerchiefs, as in a broken collar-bone, or when it is neces- 
sary to keep dressings under the arm. 



3274. It is applied by knotting th« two ends of one hand- 
kerchief together, passing the left arm through it, then pass- 
ing another handkerchief under the right arm, and tying it. 



3275. By this means we can brace the shoulders well back, 
and the handkerchief will press firmly over the broken collar- 
bone ; besides, this form of bandage does not readily slip or 
get slack, but it requires to be combined with the sling, in 
order to keep the arm steady. 



3276. When a woman has an inflamed breast that requires 
support or dressings to be kept to it, tie two ends of the 
handkerchief round her neck, and bring the body of it over 
the breast, and pass it upward and backward under the arm 
of that side, and tie the ends of those around the neck. 



"3277. An excellent sling is formed by placing one handker- 
chief around the neck, and knotting the two ends over the 
breast-bone, then placing the other in triangle under the arm, 
to be supported with the base near to the hand ; tie the ends 
over the handkerchief, and pin the top to the other part after 
passing it around the elbow. 



668 MRS. HALE'S EECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

32 T 8. Apparatus. — When a person receives a severe con- 
tusion of the leg or foot, or breaks his leg, or has painful 
ulcers over the leg, or is unable from some cause to bear the 
pressure of the bed-clothes, it is advisable to know how to 
keep them from hurting the \eg. 



3279. This may be done by bending up a fire-guard, or 
placing a chair, resting upon the edge of its back and front 
of the seat over the leg, or putting a box on each side of it, 
and placing a plank over them ; but the best way is to ma^ke 
a cradle, as it is called. 



3280. This is done by getting three pieces of wood, and 
three pieces of iron wire, and passing the wire or hoop through 
the wood. This can be placed to any height, and is very 
useful in all cases where pressure cannot be borne. 



3281. Wooden hoops cut in halves answer better than the 
wire. 

3282. When a person breaks his leg, and splints cannot be 
had directly, get a bunch of straw or twigs, and roll it up in a 
handkerchief, and place one on each side of the leg or arm, and 
bind another handkerchief firmly around them, or make a long 
bag about three inches in diameter, or even more, of coarse 
linen duck, or carpet, and stuff this full of bran, sawdust, or 
sand ; sew up the end, and use this the same as the twigs. It 
forms an excellent extemporaneous splint. 



3283. Another good plan is to get a hat-box made of chip, 
and cut it into suitable lengths, or for want of all these, some 
bones out of a pair of stays, and run them through a stout 
piece of rug, protecting the leg with a fold of rug, linen, &c. 



3284. When dry warmth is required to be applied to any 
part of the body, fry a flour pancake and lay it over the part ; 
or warm some sand and place in the patient^s socks, and lay it 
to the part ; salt does as w^ell, and may be put into a paper 
bag; or warm water put into ginger-beer bottles or stone jars, 
and rolled up in flannel. 



REMEDIES. 5 GO 

3285. Violent shocks will sometimes stun a person, and he 
will remain unconscious. 



3286. Untie strings, collars, &c.; loose any thing that is 
tight, and interferes with the breathing ; raise the head ; see 
if there is bleeding from any part; apply smelling-salts to the 
nose, and hot bottles to the feet. 



328T. In concussion, the surface of the body is cold and 
pale, and the pulse weak and small, the breathing slow and 
gentle, and the pupil of the eye generally contracted or small. 
You can get an answer by speaking loud, so as to arouse the 
patient. 

3288. Give a little brandy and water, keep the place quiet, 
apply warmth, and do not raise the head too high. If you 
tickle the feet, the patient feels it. 



3289. In Compression of the Brain^ from any cause, such 
as apoplexy, or a piece of fractured bone pressing on it, there 
is loss of sensation. If you tickle the feet, he does not feel it. 
You cannot arouse hiA so as to get an answer. The pulse is 
slow and labored, the breathing slow, labored, and snorting ; 
the pupils enlarged. 

3290. Eaise the head, unloose strings or tight things, and 
send for a surgeon. If one cannot be got at once, apply mus- 
tard-poultices and hot water to the feet, and leeches to the 
temples ; or cold water, which is better. 



3291. Choking. — When a person has a fish bone in the 
throat, insert the forefinger, press upon the root of the tongue, 
so as to induce vomiting ; if this does not do, let them swallow 
a large piece of potato or soft bread ; and if the^e fail, give a 
mustard or soap emetic. 



3292. Fainting^ Hysterics, &c. — Loosen the garments, 
bathe the temples with water or Eau de Cologne : fresh air ; 
avoid bustle and excessive sympathy. 



3293. Ajyj^arent Death from prunkenncss. — E-aise tho 



5^0 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

head, unloose the clothes, maintain warmth of surface, and give 
a mustard emetic as soon as the person can swallow. 



3294. Apoplexy, and Fits generally. — Raise the head ; un- 
loose airtight clothes, strings, &c.; apply cold lotions to the 
head and cold water, and use hot applications to the feet. 
Send for a doctor as soon as possible. 

3295. Suffocation from noxious gases, &c. Remove to the 
fresh air : dash cold vinegar and water in the face, neck and 
breast; keep up the warmth. of the body ; if necessary, apply 
mustard-poultices to the soles of the feet, and try artificial 
respiration as in drowning. 

3296. Lightning and Sun-stroke. — Treat the same as apo- 
plexy ; that is, use plenty of cold water. 

S29^. Hanging.' — Loose the cord, or whatever suspended 
the person, and proceed as for drowning, taking the additional 
precaution to apply eight or ten leeches to the temples, or 
cold water. 



LEECHES AND THEIR APPLICATION. 

3298. The leech used for medical purposes is called the 
Hirudo medicirialis, to distinguish it from other varieties, such 
as the horse-leech and the Lisbon leech. 



3299. It varies from two to four inches in length, and is of 
a blackish brown color, marked on the back with six yellow 
spots, and edged with a yellow line on each side. 



3300. Formerly leeches were supplied by Sweden, but lat- 
terly most of the leeches are procured from France, where 
they are now becoming scarce. 



3301. When leeches are applied to a part, it should be 
thoroughly freed from down or hair by shaving, and all lini- 
ments, &c., carefully and effectually cleaned away by washing. 

3302. If the leech is hungry it will soon bite, but sometimes 



LEECHES AND THEIR APPLICATION. 5*^1 

great difficulty is experienced in getting them to fasten on. 
tVhen this is the car^?, roll th^ leech into a little porter, or 
moisten the surface with a little blood, or milk, or sugar and 
-»vater. 

3303. Leeches maybe applied by holding them over the part 
with a piece of linen cloth or by means of an inverted glass, 
under which they must be placed. 



3304. When applied to the gums, care should be taken to 
use a leech glass, as they are apt to creep down the patient's 
throat ; a large swan's quill will answer the purpose of a leech 
glass. 

3305. When leeches are gorged they will drop off them- 
selves ; never tear them off from a person, but just dip the 
point of a moistened finger into some salt, and touch them 
with it. 

3306. Be sure never to allow any one to go to sleep with 
leech bites bleeding, without watching them carefully; and 
never apply too many to children. 



330T. If a leech is accidentally swallowed, or by any means 
gets into the body, employ an emetic, or enema of salt and 
water. 

3308. It is to be hoped that these disgusting worms will 
soon be banished with the lancet from the practice. 



3309. Taking blood is now conceded, by the best physi- 
cians, to be injurious. 

3310. *' The life is the blood.^^ — Whoever takes away blood, 
'weakens life. — (See page 127.) 



3311. Bruises and Injlammation. — Use warm water; bath- 
ings are better than scarifications. 



3312. Burns and Scalds,~(Sce pages 109, 110.)— Vitriol 
Accidents, — See page 110. 



572 MRS. Hale's EEcEiPts for the milliox. 

3313. Poisons and their Remedies. —SQe pages 120, 121, 
122. ^^ _^ 

3314. Body in Flames. — Lcay tlie person down on the floor 
of the room, and throw the tablecloth, rug, or other large 
cloth over him, and roll him on the floor. 



3315. Dirt in the Eye. — Place your forefinger upon the 
cheekbone, having the patient before you ; then draw up the 
finger and you will probably be able to remove the dirt ; but 
if this will not enable you to get at it, repeat this operation 
while you have a netting-needle or bodkin placed over the eye- 
lid ; this will turn it inside out, and enable you to remove the 
sand, or eyelash, &c., with the corner of a fine silk handker 
chief. 

3316. As soon as the substance is removed, bathe the e} 
with w^arm water and exclude the light for a day. If the i:*- 
flammation is severe, take a purgative and use a refrigerant 
lotion. (969.) 

3317. Lime in the Eye. — Syringe it well with warm vinegar 
and water (one ounce to eight ounces of water) j take a pur- 
gative, and exclude light. 



3318. Iron or Steel Spiculcein the Eye. — This occurs while 
turning iron or steel in a lathe. 

3319. Drop a solution of sulphate of copper (from one to 
three grains of the salt to one ounce of water) into the eye, 
or keep the eye open in a wine-glassful of the solution. 



3320. Take a purgative, bathe with cold lotion, and exclude 
light to keep down inflammation. 



3321. Dislocated Thumb. — This is frequently prod need by 
a fall. Make a clove hitch, by passing two loops of cord over 
the thumb, placing a piece of rag under the cord to prevent 
it cutting the thumb ; then pull in the same line as the thumb. 
Afterward apply a cold lotion. 

3322. Cuts and Wounds, — Cut thin strips of sticking- 



HEMORRHAGE. 5T3 

plaster, and bring the parts together; or if large and deep, 
cat two broad pieces so as to look like the teeth of a comb, 
and phice one on each side of the wound, which must be 
cleaned previously. 

3323. Thjse pieces must be arranged so that they shall in- 
terlace one another ; then, by laying hold of the pieces on the 
right hand side with one hand, and those on the other side 
with the other hand, and pulling them from one another, the 
edges of the wound are brought together, and without any 
difficulty. 

3324. Hemorrhage, when caused by an artery being divided 
or torn, may be known by the \Aoodi jumping out of the wound, 
and being of a bright scarlet color. 



3325. If a vein is injured, the blood is darker, and flows 
continuously. To stop the latter, apply pressure by means of 

a compress and bandage. 

« „________ 

3326. To arrest arterial bleeding, get a piece of wood (part 
of a mop-handle will do), and tie a piece of tape to one end 
of it ; then tie a piece of tape loosely over the arm, and pass 
the other end of the wood under it ; twist the stick round and 
round until the tape compresses the arm sufficiently to arrest 
the bleeding, and then confine the other end by tying the 
string round the arm. 

332([. If the bleeding is very obstinate, and it occurs in the 
arm, place a cork underneath the string, on the inside of the 
fleshy part, where the artery may be felt beating by any one ; 
if in the leg, place a cork in the direction of aline drawn from 
the inner part of the knee a little to the outside of the groin. 

3328. It is an excellent thing to accustom yourself to find 
out the position of these arteries, or indeed any that are superfi- 
cial, and to explain to everyone in your house where they are, 
and how to stop bleeding. 

3329. If a stick cannot be got, take a handkerchief, make a cord 
bandage of it, and tie a knot in the middle ; the knot acts as a 



5*14 MRS. hale's beceipts for thb million. 

compress, and should be placed over the artery, while the two 
ends are to be tied around the thumb. 



3330. Observe always to place the ligature between the wound 
and the heart 

3331. Putting your finger into a bleeding 'wound, and 
making pressure until a surgeon arrives, will generally stop 
violent bleeding. 

3332. Bleeding from the nose, from whatever cause, may 
generally be stopped by putting a plug of lint into the nos- 
trils— See pp. 95-6. _____ 

3333. In dangerous accidents always send off for a surgeon 
immediately an accident occurs, but treat as directed until he 
arrives, 

3334. Accidents. — See page 94. 



RICHES. 

3335. ** The way to wealth,'^ says Doctor Franklin, " is as 
plain as the way to market." 



3336. Many men, however, either miss the way, or stumble 
and fall on the road. . 

333Y. Fortune, they say, is a fickle dame — full of her freaks 
and caprices ; who blindly distributes her favors without the 
slightest discrimination. So inconstant, so wavering is she 
represented, that her most faithful votaries can place no reli- 
ance on her promises. 

3338. Disappointment, they tell us, is the lot of those who 
make offerings at her shrine. Now, all this is a vile slander 
upon the dear' blind lady. 



3339. Although wealth often appears the result of mere 
accident, or a fortunate concurrence of favorable circum- 
stances, without any exertion of skill or foresight, yet every 



RICHES. 5*J5 

man of sound health and unimpaired mind may become, wealthy, 
if he takes the proper steps. 



3340. Foremost in the list of requisites, are honesty and 
strict integrity in every transaction of life. Let a man have 
the reputation of being fair and upright in his dealings, and 
he will possess the confidence of all who know him. 



3341. Without these qualities, every other merit will prove 
unavailing. Ask concerning a man, ''Is he active and ca- 
pable.?'^ Yes. *' Industrious, temperate, and regular in his 
habits ?'^ yes. 

3342. " Is he honest ? is he trustworthy V^ Why, as to 
that, I am sorry to say that he is not to be trusted ; he wants 
watching ; he is a little tricky, and will take aii undue advan- 
tage, if he can. 

3343. *' Then I will have nothing to do with him:" will be 
the invariable reply. 

3344. In a word, it is almost impossible for a dishonest 
man to acquire wealth by a regular process of business, be- 
cause he is shunned as a depredator upon society. 



3345. Needy men are apt to deviate from the rule of integ- 
rity, under the plea that necessity knows no law ; they might 
as well add that it knows no shame. 



3346. The course is suicidal, and by destroying all confi- 
dence, ever keeps them immured in poverty, although they may 
possess every other quality for success in the world. 



334Y. Punctuality, which is said to be the soul of business, 
is another important element in the art of money-getting. 



3348. Therefore be prompt in your payments. 



3349. Next, let us consider the advantages of a cautious 
circumspection in our intercourse with the world. Slowness 
of belief, and a proper distrust are essential to success. 



5T6 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

3350. The credulous and confiding are ever the dupes of 
knaves and impostors. Ask those who have lost their pro- 
perty how it happened, and you will find in most cases it has 
been owing to misplaced confidence. 



3351. One has lost by endorsing; another by crediting; 
another by false representations ; all of which a little more 
foresight and a little more distrust would have prevented. 



3352. In the affairs of this world, men are not saved by 
faith, but by the want of it. 



3353. Judge of men by what they do, not by what they 
say. Believe in looks rather than in words. 



3354. Before trusting a man, before putting it in his power 
to cause you a loss, possess yourself of every available inform- 
ation relative to him. 

3355. Learn his history, his habits, inclinations and pro- 
pensities; his reputation for honesty, industry, frugality, and 
punctuality ; his prospects, resources, supports, advantages 
and disadvantages; his intentions and motives of action; who 
are his friends and enemies, and w^hat are his good or bad 
qualities. 

3356. You may learn a man's good qualities and advantages 
from his friends — his bad qualities and disadvantages from his 
enemies. Make due allowance for exaggeration in both. 



335Y. Finally, examine carefully before engaging in any 
thing, and act with energy afterward. Have the hundred 
eyes of Argus beforehand, and the hundred hands of Briareus 
afterward. 

3358. Order and system in the management of business 
must not be neglected. Nothing contributes more to dispatch. 



3359. Do first what presses most, and having determined 
what is to be done, and how it is to be done, lose no time in 
doing it Without this method, all is hurry and confusion, 



INDUSTRY. 6 "It 

little or nothing is accomplished, and business is attended to 
with neither pleasure nor profit. 



3360. A polite, affable deportment is recommended. 



3361. Take two men, possessing equal advantages in every 
other respect, but let one be gentlemanly, kind, obliging, and 
conciliating in his manners ; the other harsh, rude, and dis- 
obliging, and the one will become rich, while the other will 
starve. 

3362. Industry. — We are now to consider a very important 
principle in the business of money-getting, namely — Industry 
— persevering, indefatigable, attention to business. 



8363. Persevering diligence is the philosopher's stone, w^hich 
turns every thing to gold. Constant, regular, habitual, and 
systematic application to business must, in time, if properly 
directed, produce great results. 



3364. It must lead to wealth, with the same certainty that 
poverty follows in the train of idleness and inattention. 



3365. It has been truly remarked, that he who follows his 
amusements instead of his business, will, in a short time, have 
no business to follow. 

3366. The art of money-saving is an important part of the 
art of money-getting. Without frugality, no one can become 
rich ; with it, few would be poor. Those who consume as fast 
as they produce, are oij^ the road to ruin. 



3367. jfs most of the poverty we meet with grows out of 
idleness and extravagance, so most large fortunes have been 
the result of habitual industry and frugality. 



3368. The practice of economy is as necessary in the ex- 
penditure of time as of money. They say that if '' we take 
care of the pence, the pounds will take care of themselves. '^ 
So, if we take care of the minutes, the days will take care of 
themselves. 

3t 



5T8 ^iR^- bale's receipts for the MILLIOj*. 

3669. Away, then, with your expensive follies, and you will 
not then have so much cause to complain of hard times, heavy 
taxes, and chargeable families. 



3310. Many, for the sake of finery on the back, have gone 
with a hungry stomach, and half starved their families. 

3311. The acquisition of wealth demands as much self- 
denial, and as many sacrifices of present gratification, as the 
practice of virtue itself. 



33Y2. Vice and poverty proceed, in some degree, from the 
same sources, namely — the disposition to sacrifice the future 
to the present ; the inability to forego a small present pleasure 
for great future advantages. 



3313. Men fail of fortune in this world, as they fail of hap- 
piness in the world to come, simply because they are unwilling 
to deny themselves momentary enjoyments for the sake of per- 
manent future happiness. 



3374. Every large city is filled with persons, who, in order 
to support the appearance of wealth, constantly live beyond 
their income, and make up the deficiency by contracting debts 
which are never paid. 

3315. Others there are, the mere drones of society, who pass 
their days in idleness, and subsist by pirating on the hives of 
the industrious. 

3316. Many who run a short-lived career of splendid beg- 
gary, could they but be persuaded to adopt a system of rigid 
economy for a few years, might pass the remaitfder of their 
days in affluence. 

3317. But no I They must keep up appearances^ they must 
live like other folks. 

3318. Their debts accumulate; their credit fails ; they are 
harassed by duns, and besieged by constables and sheriffs. 



3319. In this extremity, as a last resort, they submit to a 



HERO IN BUSINESS LIFE. 5t9 

shameful dependence, or engage in criminal practices, which 
entail hopeless wretchedness and infamy on themselves and 
families. 

3380. Stick to the business in which you are regularly 
employed. Let speculators make their thousands in a year 
or a day ; mind your own regular trade, never turning from it 
to the right hand or to the left. 

3381. If you are a merchant, a professional man, or a 
mechanic, never buy lots or stocks unless you have surplus 
money which you wish to invest. Your own business you 
understand as well as other men; but other people^s business 
you do not understand. 



3382. Let your business be some one which is useful to the 
community. All such occupations possess the elements of 
profit in themselves. 

3383. To the foregoing advice we add the description of the 
hero in business life. 

3384. A sacred regard to the principles of justice forms the 
basis of every transaction, and regulates the conduct of the up- 
right man of business. 

3385. He is strict in keeping his engagements. 



3386. Does nothing carelessly or in a hurry. 



338Y. Employs nobody to do what he can easily do himself. 



3388. Keeps every thing in its proper place. 



3389. Leaves nothing undone that ought to be done, and 
which circumstances permit him to do. 



3390. Keeps his designs and business from the view of 
others. 

3391. Is prompt and decisive with his customers, and docs 
not overtrade his capital. 



580 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

3392. Prefers short credits to long ones ; and cash to credit 
at all times, either in buying or selling ; and small profits in 
credit cases with little risk, to the' chance of better gains with 
more hazard. ^ 

3393. He is clear and explicit in all his bargains. 



3394. Leaves nothing of consequence to memory which he 
can and ought to commit to writing. 



3395. Keeps copies of all his important letters which he 
sends away, and has every letter, invoice, &c., relating to his 
business, titled, classed, and put away. 



3396. Never suffers his desk to be confused by many papers 
lying upon it 

339T. Is always at the head of his business, well knowing 
that if he leaves it, it will leave him. 



3398. Holds it as a maxim that he whose credit is sus- 
pected is not one to be trusted. 



3399. Is constantly examining his books, and sees through 
all his affairs as far as care and attention will enable him. 



3400. Balances regularly at stated times, and then makes 
out and transmits all his accounts-current to his customers, 
both at home and abroad. 



3401. He avoids, as no^uch as possible, all sorts of accommo- 
dation in money matters and lawsuits where there is the least 
hazard. 

3402. He is economical in his expenditure, always living 
within his income. 

3403. Keeps a memorandum-book in his pocket, in vrhich 
he notes every particular relative to appointments, addresses, 
and petty cash matters. 



TEMPERANCE. 581 

3404. Is cautious how he becomes security for any person ; 
and is generous when urged by motives of humanity. 



3405. Let a man act strictly to these habits ; when once 
begun they will be easy to continue in — ever remembering 
that he hath no profits by his pains whom Providence doth 
not prosper — and success will attend his efforts. 



3406. If he has a good wife, who does^her part, the happi- 
ness of the noble-hearted business-man is as secure as human- 
ity admits. 



TEMPERANCE. 

340^. To '^be temperate in all things," is the command; a 
rule necessary for men in order to acquire wealth righteously, 
and enjoy health perfectly. 

3408. Late hours, irregular habits, and want of attention 
to diet, are common errors with most young men, and these 
gradually, but at first imperceptibly, undermine the health, 
and lay the foundation for various forms of di-sease in after 
life. 

3409. It is a very difficult thing to make young persons 
comprehend this. They frequently sit up as late as twelve, 
one, or two o^cloclr, without experiencing any ill effects ; they 
go without a meal to-day, and to-morrow eat to repletion, with 
only temporary inconvenience. 



3410. One night they will sleep three or four hours, and the 
next nine or ten ; or one night, in their eagerness to get away 
into some agreeable company, they will take no food at all ; 
and the next, perhaps, will eat a hearty supper, and go to bed 
upon it. 

3411. These, with various other irregularities, are common 
to the majority of young men, and are, as just stated, the cause 
of much bad health in mature life. 



3412. Indeed, nearly all the shattered constitutions with 



582 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

which too many are cursed, are the result of a disregard to the 
plainest precepts of health in early life. 



3413. Laborers, and other working people, more especially 
those whose occupations require them to be much in the open 
air, may be considered as following a regulated system of mo- 
deration ; and hence the higher degree of health which pre- 
vails among them and their families. 



3414. They also observe rules ; and those which it is said 
were recommended by Old Parr are remarkable for good sense ; 
namely — 

3415. "Keep your head cool by temperance, your feet 
warm by exercise; rise early, and go soon to bed; and if you 
are inclined to get fat, keep your eyes open and your mouth 
shut.'' 

3416. In other words, sleep moderately, and be abstemious 
in diet; — excellent admonitions, more especially to those 
inclined to corpulency. ' 

3411. The advantage to be derived from a regular mode of 
living, with a view to the preservation of health and life, are 
nowhere better exemplified than in the precepts and practice 
of Plutarch, whose rules for this purpose are "excellent ; and 
by observing them himself, he maintained his bodily strength 
and mental faculties unimpaired to a very advanced age. 



3418. Galen is a still stronger proof of the advantages of 
a regular plan, by means of which he reached the great age 
of 140 years, without having ever experienced disease. 



3419. His advice to the readers of his '* Treatise on Health," 
is as follows : ^ 

3420. ''I beseech all persons who shall read this work, not 
to degrade themselves to a level with the brutes, or the rab- 
ble, by gratifying their sloth, or by eating and drinking pro- 
miscuously whatever pleases their palates, or by indulging 
their appetites of every kind. 



THE WAY TO WEALTH. 583 

3421. " But, whether they understand physic or not, let them 
consult their reason, and observe what agrees, and what does 
not agree with them, that, like wise men, they may adhere to 
the use of such things as conduce to their health, and forbear 
every thing which, by their own experience, they find to do 
them hurt ; and let them be assured that, by a diligent obser- 
vation and practice of this rule, they may enjoy a good share 
of health, and seldom stand in need of physic or physicians." 

8422. The celebrated maxims of Dr. Franklin, published as 
the '' Sayings of Poor Kichard," deserve a place in this family 
book. 

3428. I have sought out, and here bring together, over one 
hundred of these prudent precepts. 



THE WAY TO WEALTH. 
3424. God helps those who help themselves. 



3425. Many words won't fill a bushel. 



3426. Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labor wears. 



3427. The key often used is always bright. 



3428. Dost thou love life ? Then do not squander time, for 
that is the stuff life is made of. 



3429. The sleeping fox catches no poultry. 



3430. There will be time enough for sleep, in the grave. 



3431. If time be of all things the most precious, wasting 
time must be the greatest prodigality. 



3482. Lost time is never found asrain. 



3433. What we call time enough, always proves little enough. 



3434, Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all easy. 



584 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

3435. He that riseth late must trot all day, and shall scarce 
overtake his business at nio:ht. 



3436. Laziness travels so slowly, that poverty soon over- 
takes him. 

3437. Drive thy business, lest it drive thee. 



3438. Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, 
wealthy, and wise. 

3439. Industry need not wish. 



3440. He that lives upon hope, will die fasting. 



3441. There are no gains without pains. 



3442. Help, hands, for I have no lands. 



3443. He that hath a trade, hath an estate, and he that hath 
a calling, hath an ofifice of profit and honor; but the trade 
must be worked at, and the calling well foUowed, or neither 
will enable us to pay our taxes. 



3444. The drone in the hive makes no honey. 



3445. At the working-man's house hunger looks in, but 
does not enter. ^ 

3446. Industry pays debts, but despair increaseth them. 
344Y. Diligence is the mother of good luck. 



3448. God gives all things to industry. 



3449. Plow deep while sluggards sleep, and you will 
have corn to sell and to keep. 

3450. One to-day is worth two to-morrow. 



3451. Have you somewhat to do to-morrow, do it to day. 



THE WAY TO WEALTH. 585 

3'452. If you were a servant, would you not be ashamed 
that a good master should catch you idle ? Are you, then, 
your own master ? be ashamed to catch yourself idle. 



3453. The cat in gloves catches no mice. 



3454. Handle your tools without mittens. 



3455. Light strokes fell great oaks. 



3456. By diligence and patience, the mouse ate into the 
cable. 

345T. Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to gain lei- 
sure ; and since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away 
an hour. 

3458. A life of leisure and a life of laziness, are two things. 



• 3459. Troubles spring from idleness, and grievous toils from 
needless ease. 

3460. Many would live by their wits, without labor, but 
they break for want of stock. 



3461. Industry gives comfort, plenty, and respect. 



3462. Fly pleasures, and they'll follow you. 

3463. Now I have a sheep and a cow, everybody bids me 
good-morrow. 

3464. I never saw an oft-removed tree, 
Nor yet an oft-removed family. 

That throve so well as one that settled be. 



3465. Three removes are as bad as a fire. 



3466. Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee. 



3"46Y. If you would have your business done, go ; if not, 
send. 



586 MRS. Hale's receipts for the milliox. 

3468. He that by the plow would thrive, 
Himself must either hold or drive. 



3469. The eve of the master will do more work than both 
his hands. 

3470. Want of care does us more damage than want of 
knowledge. 

3471. Xot to oversee workmen, is to leave them your purse 
open. 

3472. In the affairs of the world, men are saved not by faith, 
but for the want of it. 



3473. Learning is to the studious, and riches to the careful, 
as well as power to the bold, and heaven to the virtuous. 

3474. If you would have a faithful servant, and one that 

you like, serve yourself. 



8475. A little neglect may breed great mischief. 

3476. For want of a nail the shoe was lost ; 
For want of a shoe the horse was lost ; 
For want of a horse the rider was lost — 
Being overtaken and slain by the enemy. 



3477. If a man save not as he gets, he may keep his nose 
to the grindstone all his life, and die not worth a groat. . 



3478. A fat kitchen makes a lean will. 



3479. Many estates are spent in the getting, 

Since women for tea, forsook spinning and knitting, 
And men for punch, forsook hewing and splitting. 



3480. The Indies did not make Spain rich, because her out- 
goes were greater than her incomes. 



3481. Women and wine, game and deceit. 

Make the wealth small, and the want great. 



THE WAY TO WEALTH. 587 

3482. What maintains one vice would bring up two children. 



3483. Many a little makes a mickle. 

3484. Beware of little expenses ; a small leak will sink a 
great ship. 

3485. Who dainties love, shall beggars prove. 



3486. Fools make feasts, and wise men eat them. 



348t. Buy what thou dost not need, and ere long thou shalt 
sell thy necessaries. 

3488. At a great bargain pause awhile. 

3489. Many have been ruined by good bargains. 



3490. It is foolish to lay out money in the purchase of 
repentance. 

3491. Wise men learn by other's harms, fools scarcely by 
their own. 

3492. Silks and satins, scarlet and velvets, put out the 
kitchen fire. 

3493. For one poor person, there are a hundred indigent. 

3494. A plowman on his legs, is higher than a gentleman 
on his knees. 

3495. Always taking out of the meal-tub, and never putting 
in, soon comes to the bottom. 



3496. When the well is dry we know the worth of water. 



3497. If you would know the value of money, try to borrow. 



3498. He that goes a-borrowing, goes a-sorrowing. 



3499. Fond pride of dress is sure a very curse ; 
Ere fancy you consult, consult your purse. 



538 ^RS. hale's receipts for the milliox. 

3500. Pride is as loud a beggar as Want, and a great deal 
more saucv. 

3501. It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy 
all that follow it. 

3502. Yessels large may venture more, 

But little boats should keep the shore. 



3503. Pride that shines on vanity sups on contempt. 

3504. Pride breakfasted with Plenty, dined with Poverty, 
and supped with Infamy. 



3505. What is a butterfly ? At best 
He's but a caterpillar dress'd; 
The gaudy fop's his picture just. 



3506. The second vice is lying; the first is running in debt. 



350Y. Lying rides upon debt's back. 

3508. It is hard for an empty bag to stand upright. 



3509. Creditors have better memories than debtors. 



3510. Creditors are a superstitious sect, great observers of 
set days and times. 

3511. Those have a short Lent who owe money to be paid 
at Easter. 

3512. The borrower is a slave to the lender, and the debtor 
to the creditor. 

3513. For age and want save while you may, 
No morning sun lasts a whole day. 

3514. It is easier to build two chimneys than to keep one 
in fuel. 

3515. Rather go supperless to bed than rise in debt. 



HEALTH AND WEALTH. 589 

8516. Get what you can, and what you get hold ; 

^Tis the stone that will turn all your lead into gold. 



-3517. Experience keeps a dear school ; but fools will learn 
in no other, and scarce in that ; for we may give advice, but 



we cannot give conduct. 



3518. They that will not be counseled cannot be helped. 



3519. If you will not reason, she will surely rap their 
knuckles. 

3520. Distrust and caution are the parents of security. 



3521. After feasts made, the maker shakes his head. 



3522. There is neither honor nor gain got in dealing with 
a villain. 

3523. Visits should be like a winter's day, short. 



3524. A house without woman and firelight, 
Is like a body without soul or sprite. 



3525. Light purse, heavy heart. 

3526. Ne'er take a wife till thou hast a house (and a fire) 
to put her in. 

352'7. Hunger never saw bad bread. 



3528. Great talkers, little doers. 



3529. A rich rogue is like a fat hog ; 

He does no good till as dead as a log. 



3530. Relation without friendship, friendship without power, 
power without will, will without etfcct, effect without profit, 
and profit without virtue, are not worth a farthing. 

3531. lie has changed his one-eyed horse for a blind one. 



590 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

3532. To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals. 



3533. Tongue double, brings trouble. 

3534. He's the best physician that knows the worthlessness 
of most medicines. 



PAET XII. 

THE FAMILY AT HOME. 

A Good Table — Bread, etc. — 3Ieots — Vegetables — Household 
Management — Beverages — Useful Receipts, etc, — Maxims, 
Dietetic and Moral — Tool- Chests — Dressmaking, etc. — 
Pets — Swimming — Riding — Amusements — Children — Let- 
ter- Writing — Debt — Flowers — Time — Air — Laws — Phre- 
nology — Historical — Words of Washington. 

3535. A good table is necessary to health and domestic 
comfort. 

3536. Nearly every family in our Republic has, or might have, 
the means of living very comfortably ; if nothing was wavSted, 
and all food was properly cooked, good tables would abound. 



353t. In my ''New Cook Book" these subjects are so fully 
treated that little can be added. 



3538. Still a few '' Choice Receipts" on Cookery will be 
found in this volume, at page 319 and on. I shall add such 
other directions in this chapter as seem necessary to complete 
the system : and first of the staff of life- — bread. 



3539. Bread. — To make good bread, or to understand the 
process of making it, is the duty of every woman ; indeed, an 
art that should never be nep:lected in the education of a lady. 



3540. The Lady derives her title from ''dividing or distri- 
buting bread :" the more perfect the bread the more noble the 
lady 



BREAD. 591 

3541. In '' Mrs. Hale's New Cook Book," and in the fol- 
lowing directions, the art is made plain ; and the process may, 
by practice, be easily, acquired. 



3542. Proportions of Nutriment in articles of Food. — See 
'^ Mrs. Hale's New Cook Book — Introductory," etc. 



3543. Bread contains eighty nutritious parts in one hun- 
dred; meal thirty-four in one hundred ; French beans, ninety- 
two in one hundred ; common beans, eighty-nine in one hun- 
dred ; peas, ninety-three in one hundred ; lentils, ninety-four 
in one hundred ; cabbages and turnips, the most aqueous of 
all the vegetables compared, produce only eight pounds of solid 
matter in one hundred pounds; carrots and spinach produce 
fourteen in the same quantity ; while one hundred pounds of 
potatoes contain twenty-five pounds of dry substance. 

3544. From a general estimate it results, that one pound 
of good bread is equal to two pounds and a half or three 
pounds of potatoes ; that seventy-five pounds of bread and 
thirty of meat may be substituted for three hundred pounds 
of potatoes. 

3545. The other substances bear the following proportions : 
four parts of cabbage to one of potatoes ; three parts of turnips 
to one of potatoes ; two parts of carrots and spinach to one 
of potatoes ; and about three parts and a half of potatoes to 
one of rice, lentils, beans, French beans, and dry peas. 

3546. To test flour ^ people in the trade generally knead a 
small quantity by way of experiment ; if good, the flour imme- 
diately forms an adhesive elastic paste, which will readily 
assume any form that may be given to it, without danger of 
breaking. 

3547. Pure and unadulterated flour may likewise be easily 
distinguished by other methods : seize a handful briskly, and 
squeeze it half a minute ; it preserves the form of the cavity of 
the hand in one piece, although it may be rudely placed ou 
the table ; not so that which contains foreign substances, it 
breaks in pieces more or less ; that mixed with whiting being the 
most adhesive, but stili dividing and falling down in a Lttle lime. 



592 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

3548. Indian Bread. — One quart of buttermilk, one quart 
of Indian-meal, one quart of coarse flour, one cup of molasses ; 
add a little soda and salt. 



8549. Bread making is an art, the importance of which is 
too frequently overlooked or underrated. Heavy, sour, hard 
bread should never be tolerated, because good bread is more 
palatable, more healthy, and it should be borne in mind, is really 
much less expensive. There is great saving in baking bread 
at home, and this saving is greatest when flour is cheapest. 



3550. Good fiour and good yeast are requisites, but the 
goodness of the bread depends much on the kneading : the 
more the dough is turned and pressed and worked, the lighter 
and better the bread will be. 



3551. Proportions. — Two gallons flour, half pint strong 
fresh yeast ; if home-made, add more. 



3552. The Process. — Make a hole in the flour, in which 
pour the yeast mixed with half a pint warm water. Stir in 
the flour round the edge of this liquid with a spoon to form a 
thin batter. After stirring it well for two minutes, sprinkle a 
handful of flour over the top of this batter, lay a warm cloth 
over it, and set it to rise in a warm place. When it rises so 
as to crack on the top add four spoonsful fine salt, and begin 
to form the mass into dough, pouring as much soft, lukewarm 
water as is necessary to make the flour mix with the 
batter. When the flour and batter are thoroughly mixed,- 
knead and work the w^hole till it is light and stitf. Roll into 
a lump, sprinkle dry flour over it, cover and put into a warm 
place, when in half an hour it will rise enough for baking. 
See '' Mrs. Hale's Cook Book," page 375. The quality de- 
pends much on the time of putting the dough in the oven. 
Dough readily runs into three stages of fermentation. It 
should be put in the oven during the first or saccharine^ when 
if sufficiently baked it will be sweet and wholesome. It after- 
ward becomes sour and heavy. If put in too soon, it will be 
light and as tasteless as saw-dust. 



3553. Good bread is marked by fine . pores and a sort of 
network of uniform appearance. 



BREAD. 593 

3554. Keep bread wrapped in a coarse towel, and where it 
will not dry up, or in a tight box. 



3555. If sour, froni being mixed over night, melt a tea- 
spoon of pearlash in a little milk-warm water, sprinkle it over 
the dough, and in half an hour knead it again. 



3556. Frozen dough is spoiled. 



355T. Indian is a good addition to wheat, and requires 
more water, or make mush of it and then mix in. 



3558. The bitterness of yeast may be remedied by putting 



in a little charcoal and then straining it. 



3559. Bj/e and Indian Bread. — Mix two quarts of each 
with three pints boiling milk, table-spoon salt, and stir well. 
Let it stand till lukewarm, then stir in half pint good yeast. 
Knead to a stiff dough and put to rise near the fire. When 
the top is cracked over, make into two loaves and bake 
moderate two and a half hours. 



3560. Common Yeast. — Boil a large handful hops in two 
quarts of water twenty minutes. Strain and pour the liquid 
into three pints flour. Stir in half a pint strong yeast. Its 
strength is increased by five tea-spoons brown sugar or five 
large spoons molasses. Cork the bottles loose till next day, 
and then tight. . 

3561. If turning sour put tea-spoon pearlash in each 
bottle- 

3562. Another, — Boil, peel and mash mealy potatoes, which 
reduce with water or ale as thin as common yeast. To every 
pound add two ounces coarse sugar, and when just warm stir 
in two spoons of yeast. Keep warm till fermentation is over 
and in twenty-four hours fit for use. Let sponge eight hours 
before baking. 



3563. Yeast. — Boil one pound of good flour, a quarter of a 
pound of brown sugar, and a little salt, in two gallons of water 
for one hour. When milk-warm, bottle it close ; it will be fit 
38 



594 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

to use in twenty -four hours. One pint of this will make 
eighteen pounds of bread. 



3564. Pulled Bread. — Take from the oven an ordinary loaf 
when it is about half baked, and with the fingers, while the 
bread is yet hot, dexterously pull the half-set dough into 
pieces of irregular shape^ about the size of an ^gg. Don't 
attempt to smooth or flatten them — the rougher their shapes 
the better. 

3565. Set upon tins, place in a very slow oven, and bake 
to a rich brown. This forms a deliciously crisp crust for 
cheese. If you do not bake at home, your baker will prepare 
it for you, if ordered. Pulled bread may be made in the re- 
volving ovens. 

3566. It is very nice with wine instead of biscuits. 

356t. A great increase on home-made bread, even equal to 
one-fifth, may be produced by using bran water for kneading 
the dough. The proportion is three pounds of bran for every 
twenty-eight pounds of flour, the bran to be boiled for an 
hour, and then strained through a hair-sieve. 



3568. Indian cake made with buttermilk, or sour milk, with 
a little cream or butter rubbed into the meal, and a tea-spoon- 
ful of pearlash in the milk, is very light and nutritious. 



3569. Use of Lime-water in making Bread. — It has lately 
been found that water saturated with lime produces in bread 
the same whiteness, softness and capacity of retaining moisture, 
as results from the use of alum ; while the former removes all 
acidity from the dough, and supplies an ingredient needed in 
the structure of the bones, but which is deficient in the 
cerealia, 

3510. The best proportion to use is, five pounds of water 
saturated with lime, to every nineteen pounds of flour. No 
change is required in the process of baking. 



3571. The lime most effectually coagulates the gluten, and 
the bread weighs well ; bakers must therefore approve of its 



BREAD, BISCUITS, ETC. * 595 

introduction, which is not im'nrious to the system, like 
ahim, &c. ' \ 

3572. Cheap Bread. — Indian meal is the cheapest, and a 
bushel furnishes more nutriment than the same quantity of 
wheat. It is also a generally healthy diet, and those who 
wish to practice close economy should use much of this meal 
in their families. 

3573. It makes excellent puddings and warm cakes, which 
are much less apt to oppress the stomach than hot wheat bread 
or short cakes of any kind. And good, light, nourishing 
bread may be made by using five parts of Indian and one of 
rye or wheat flour, (see receipts for *'Rye and Indian 
Bread ;") which is better than to cook it hot at every meal. 



3574. Remember that four loaves of cold bread will go as 
far in a familji as Jive loaves of hot bfead. 



3575. Excellent paste for fruit or meat pies may be made 
with two-thirds of wheat flour, one-third of the flour of boiled 
potatoes, and some butter or dripping ; the whole being 
brought to a proper consistence with warm water, and a small 
quantity of yeast added when lightness is desired. This will 
also make very pleasant cakes for breakfast, and may be made 
with or without spices, fruit, &c. 



3576. Picnic Biscuits. — Take two ounces of fresh butter, 
and well work it with a pound of flour. Mix thoroughly with 
it half a salt-spoonful of pure carbonate of soda ; two ounces 
of sugar; mingle thoroughly with the flour; make up the 
paste with spoonfuls of milk — it will require scarcely a quarter 
of a pint. 

3577. Knead smooth, roll a quarter of an inch thick, cut n 
rounds about the size of the top of a small wine-glass ; roll 
these out thin, prick them well, lay them on lightly floured 
tins, and bake in a gentle oven until brisp. When cold put 
into dry canisters. ^ 

3578. Thin cream used instead of milk, in the paste, will 



596 • MRS. ale's receipts for the million 

enrich the biscuits.- Caraway seeds or ginger can be added/ 
to" vary' these at pleasure. 



3579. Bye and wheat flour, half and half, makes excellent 
household bread. 

3580. Common Black Cake. — Beat separately the wliites 
and yolks of three eggs. Mix half a pound of butter with one 
pound of flour ; one tumbler of milk ; one tumbler of molasses ; 
one pound of sugar. Then put in the eggs and one and one- 
half teaspoonful of soda. Wine, currants, raisins and citron 
to your taste. 

3581. Maize Cahe. — Take six eggs, a paper of Oswego corn 
starch, one pound of loaf sugar, half pound of butter, half 
teacup of milk, half a teaspoon of soda, one teaspoon of cream 
of tartar, the grated rind of the lemon ; dissolve the soda in 
half the milk, and add it the last thing. Bakejn an oven as 
quick as you can make it, without burning. 



3582. It is a very delicate cake to bake well. Use flat pans, 
a little deeper than Spanish bun pans, and put paper over the 
top. 

Composition Cake. — Take three pounds of flour, half pound 
of butter, one and three-quarter j)Ounds of sugar, three eggs — 
beat the eggs — add half a pint of yeast to them, half a pint 
of new miik, three spoonsful of rose-water, and a little cinna- 
mon and cloves ; put the butter in the flour and half the sugar, 
the other half mix with the eggs ; make a hole in the flour, 
pour the ingredients into it ; set it to lighten in the morning 
by the fire ; after it is made out into rolls, you. may put it into 
tins, and set it before the fire for an hour or two ; when suffi- 
ciently risen, bake it in rather a slow oven. 



3584. Ginger Biscuits and Cakes. — Work into small crumbs 
three ounces of butter, two pounds of flour; add three ounces 
of powdered sugar and two of ginger, in fine powder; knead 
into a stiff paste, with new fliilk, roll thin, cut out with a 
cutter ; bake in a slow oven until crisp through ; keep of a pale 
color. 



CAicES AND ruDBixas. , 59^ 

3585. Additional sugar may be used when sweeter biscuit 
is desired. For good ginger-cakes, butter six ounces, sugar 
eight, for each pound of flour ; wet the ingredients into a paste 
with eggs ; a little lemon-grate will give an agreeable flavor. 



3586. Loof-cake. — Six pounds of flour, three and one-half 
pounds of butter, three and one-half pounds of sugar, three 
pints of milk, six eggs, four pounds of fruit, one-half pint of 
yeast, three gills of wine, four nutmegs, and one and one- 
quarter ounce of mace citron. Stir butter and sugar to a 
froth ; boil the milk, and turn in the wine ; put the curds and 
whey ivarm, but not hot, into the flour ; then add the eggs and 
yeast, and only one-third of the beaten butter and sugar ; let 
it rise until very light, and then add the remainder of the 
butter and sugar, and let it rise again ^ when light, put in the 
spices, fruit, &c., bake it in a not very hot oven. 

Another receipt leaves out one-half pound of butter and 
also one-half pound of sugar to the same quantity of flour, 
fruit, eggs, &c. 

358T. Sponge- Cake, — Take three-quarters of a pound of 
white sugar, and pour one-half tumbler of cold water into 
it, and set it over the fire until it boils clear; beat up seven 
eggs, the whites and yolks separately, and, after the sugar and 
water has cooled, add the yolks, stirring them well ; flavor it 
with the peel of a lemon, and half the juice of the same ; add 
the whites of the eggs, and then sift in one half pound of 
flour. This cake has the advantage of remaining moist and 
spirited, longer than other sponge-cake. 



3588. A Cheap and Quick Pudding, — Beat up four eggs, add 
a pint of milk and a little salt, and stir in four large spoonsful 
of flour, a little nutmeg and sugar to your taste. Beat it well, 
and pour it into buttered teacups, filling them rather more 
than half full. They will bake in a stove or Dutch oven in 
fifteen minutes ; and if you have company to dinner, and wish 
to add a little dish, this is a good and cheap one. 



3589. Sago and Apple Pudding (very nice). — Let half a 
pound of sago steep in water enough to cover it until dissolved. 
This will take about half an hour. Pare and core eight nice 



598 MRS. hale's receipts for the million, 

apples without cutting them apart. Fill the middle wito sugar, 
putting in each a little cinnamon. Arrange the apples in a 
pudding-dish, and pour over them the sago. Let it bake from 
one to two hours. This is equally as nice, although it does not 
look so well, if the apples are cut in quarters instead of being 
left whole, and the sugar and cinnamon sprinkled over them. 
It is good either cold or hot. 



3590. Pea Pudding. — Dry a pint or quart of split peas 
thoroughly before the fire ; then tie them up loosely in a cloth, 
put them into warm water, boil them a couple of hours, or 
more, until quite tender ; take them up, beat them well iu 
a dish with a little salt (some add the yolk of an ^gg) and a 
bit of butter. Make it quite smooth, tie it up again in a cloth, 
and boil it an hour longer. This is highly nourishing. 



3591. Calves' Feet Jelly. — Boil four feet in four gallons of 
water till it comes to half a gallon ; strain it, let it stand till 
cold, and skim off all the fat clean. Take the jelly up, leaving 
the settlings at the bottom. Put your jelly into a clean sauce- 
pan or skillet, and to every quart of jelly add one pint of wine, 
half pound of loaf-sugar beaten, the juice of a large lemon ; 
beat up the whites of three eggs to a froth — put all in to- 
gether — stir w^ell till it boils, let it boil a few minutes, have 
ready a double flannel bag, pour it in again till it runs clear; 
have a china bowl with lemon- peel cut as thin as possible, let 
the jelly drip on the peel and it will give it a flavor, and a fine 
amber color; with a clean silver spoon fill your glasses. — (See 
^'Mrs. Hale's Cook Book,^^ p. 324.) 



3592. Calves' Feet Jelly made ivith Gelatine. — Take three 
quarts of water, one pint of white wine, six table-spoonsful 
of brandy ; six lemons, peel and all ; six eggs, the whites 
slightly beaten, the shells crushed, and the yolks not used ; 
three pounds of white sugar, four ounces of gelatine. Soak 
for half an hour the gelatine in one quart of the water. Mix 
the other ingredients in the other two quarts. Put all together, 
and let them boil twenty minutes without stirring. Strain it 
through a flannel bag without squeezing. Wet the mould in 
cold water. Ponr the jelly in, and leave it to cool. Three 
hours is generally sufficient. 



ANIMAL FOOD. 599 

3593. Meats. — A few hints, or general rules will be given 
here. (See "" Mrs Hale's New Cook Book" for Receipts, &c.) 



3594. Animal food. — The quantity of animal food required 
to sustain the constitution, in its most perfect state, is greatest 
in the coldest countries, and, decreasing according to the 
warmth of the climate, when we reach the torrid zone, but a 
small quantity is needed. 



3595. In temperate climates, like our own, the largest 
quantity is required during the winter. 



3596. None should use it freely during the hottest weather, 
except it be those who labor hard in the open air ; it rarely 
appears to injure such, yet probably it would be best for them 
to eat less meat and more bread and vegetables during sum- 
mer. They would not then suffer so much from thirst, which 
often induces the desire for stimulating liquids. 



3591. As a general rule, animal food is more easily and 
speedily digested than vegetable food of any kind — and this 
it is which makes meats- more heating and stimulating. 



3598. The great essentials for the easy digestion of animal 
food are that the fibres be tender and fine grained. 



3599. Of the different sorts of butcher meat, Poy^k is that 
of which the least quantity should be taken at a time. It re- 
quires longer to digest roasted pork than any other kind of 
meat. 

3600. Beef agrees well with most constitutions ; it is 
cheapest in the autumn, but best in the winter season. Many 
have a distaste to mutton ; but for those who relish it, it is a 
nutritious food, and easy of digestion. 



3601. Lamb, veal, and fowls are delicate and healthy diet 
for the young and sedentary ; and for all who find fat meats 
and those of coarse fibre do not ao-ree with them. 



3602. The most economical way of cooking meat is to boil 



600 MRS. HALES RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

it, if the liquid be used for soup or broth, as it always ought 
to be. 

3603. Baking is one of the cheapest ways of dressing a 
dinner in small families, and several kinds of meat are excellent 
done in this way. 

,3604. Legs and loins of pork, legs of mutton, and fillets of 
veal will bake to much advantage ; especially if they be fat. 



3605. Never bake a lean, thin piece, it will all shrivel 
away. Such pieces should always be boiled or made into 
soup. 

3606. Pigs, geese, and the buttock of beef are all excellent 
baked. 

3607. Meat always loses in weight by being cooked. — In 
roasting, the loss is the greatest. It also costs more in fuel 
to roast than to boil — still there are many pieces of meat 
which seem made for roasting ; and it would be almost wrong 
to cook them in any other way. 



3608. The other pieces of the animal are best salted and 
boiled ; or if used fresh, stewed or in soups. Beef should 
rarely be fried. 

3609. Boasting heef, — Ten pounds of beef require from two 
hours to two hours and a-half roasting, eighteen inches from a 
good clear fire. 

3610. Six pounds require one hour and a-quarter to one 
hour and a-half, fourteen inches from a good clear fire. 



3611. Three ribs of beef, boned and rolled, tied round with 
paper, will require two hours and a-half, eighteen inches from 
the fire ; baste once only. 



3612. The first three ribs of fifteen or twenty pounds, will 
take three hours or three and a-half; the fourth and fifth ribs 
will take as long, managed in the same way as the sirloin. 



COOKING AND PRESERVIEG MEATS. 601 

Paper the fat and the thin part, or it will be clone too much 
before the thick part is done enough. 



3613. When beef is very fat, it does not require basting; 
if very lean tie it up in buttered paper, and baste frequently 
and well. 

8614. Common cooks are generally fond of too fierce a fire, 
and of putting things too near to it. 



3615. Slow roasting is as advantageous to the tenderness 
and flavor of meat as slow boiling. 



3616. The warmer the weather, and the staler killed the 
meat is, the less time it will require to roast it. 



361 T. Meat that is very fat requires more time than other 
meat. _____ 

3618. Cooking meats, — The proper manner of preparation 
is, to cook it till it is entirely separated from the blood, and 
the fibres are rendered soft and easy of digestion. 



3619. Lamb is a delicate and tender meat; but it requires 
to be kept a few days, when the weather will permit — and 
should be thoroughly cooked to be healthful. Never take 
'lamb or veal from the spit till the gravy that drops is white. 



3620. Preserving meats. — Salt is the grand preservative of 
meats ; but in using these, care should be taken to soak them 
if too salt. It is. not healthy to eat our food very salt. 



3621. In the summer season, particular attention must be 
observed, lest fresh meat be injured. In the country this care 
is very necessary. 

3622. Be sure to take the kernels out of a round of beef; 
one in the udder, in the fat, and those about the thick end of 
the flank. 

3623. To salt the meat thoroughly, rub in the salt evenly 



602 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

into every part, aad fill the holes where the kernels were taken 
out. 

3624. A ponnd and a-half of salt will be sufficient for 
twenty-five pounds of beef, if you only want to corn it to be 
eaten in a few^ days. 

3625. In the summer, the sooner meat is salted, after it is 
cool, the better. In winter, it is better to be kept a few days 
before salting. 

3626. Pork ought not to be allowed to freeze before it is 

salted for family use. 

3627. If you \^ish beef to look red, rub it first with salt- 
petre and sugar ; half an ounce of each mixed together, is 
sufficient for twenty pounds of meat. 



3628.' PovJtry. — Xo kind of animal food is so delicate and 
delicious as the flesh of fowls and birds, and no kind is so 
generally healthful. Rarely does it disagree with those who 
are well ; even the feeble in constitution, or those debilitated 
by sickness, find this a most agreeable and nutritious diet. 



3629. The white meat of a young turkey, when well boiled, 
is easier of digestion than that of any other fowl. 

3630. In a yonng turkey, the toes and bill are soft. 



3631. A young goose (a very old one is not fit to be eaten) 
is plump in the breast, and the fat white and soft — the feet 
yellow, the web of the foot thin and tender. 



3632. Ducks, if young, feel very tender under the wing, 
and the web of the foot is transparent. 



3633. The best fowls have yellow legs — if very old, the feet 
look stiff and worn. 

3634. Pigeons should be quite fresh, the breast plump and 
fat. 



HASHES. . 603 

3635. Poultry should lie one night after being killed in 
warm weather to make it tender ; in cold weather it may be 
kept a much longer time to advantage. 

3636. Take care of the liquor you have boiled poultry or 
meat in ; in five minutes you may make it into soup. 

363Y. The good housewife never boils a joint without con- 
verting the broth into some sort of soup. 



3638. If the liquor be too salt, only use half the quantity, 
and the rest water ; wash salted meat well with cold water 
before you put it into the boiler. 



3639. Fish is much less nutritious than flesh. The white kinds 
of fish, cod, haddock, flounders, white fish, &c., are the least 
nutritious ; the oily kinds, salmon, eels, herrings, &c., are 
more difficult to digest. 



3640. Shell-fish have long held a high rank as restorative 
food ; but a well-dressed chop or steak is much better to re- 
cruit the strength and spirits. 



3641. Hashes. — All the pieces and bits of cold meat should 
be minced and warmed ; if this is rightly done, the dish is 
generally a favorite one. 



3642. It is best to chop the meat very fine, (gristles and 
gelatinous matter from the iDones may be included ;) then make 
a gravy by putting a lump of butter (what you judge neces- 
sary) into a stewpan ; when it is hot, add a little flour, and 
stir it into the butter ; then add a teacupful of the broth the 
meat was boiled in, and a little catsup. Let this boil up, then 
put in the mince meat, with a little chopped parsley, pepper 
and salt. 

3643. Let it stand and simmer a few minutes covered, but 
do not let it boil — it hardens the meat to boil it. Lay slices 
of toasted bread in the dish, and pour the moat and gruvy 
over. 



604 MRS. HALF/s receipts for THS MILLIOfT. 

3644. Meat may be kept several days in the height of sum- 
mer, sweet and good, by lightly covering it with bran, and 
hanging it in some high or windy room, or in a passage 
where there is a current of air. 



VEGETABLES. 

3645. The importance of using a portion of vegetable food 
can hardly be overrated, though to make this our only diet 
does and must prove injurious, because contrary to man's 
nature and the arran»>:ements of the Creator. 



3646. The farinaceous (or mealy) are far more nutritioug 
than other vegetables ; but none are sufficiently so to sustain 
the constitution under the 'cares and labors necessary to the 
full development of the energies of body and mind. 



3647. And unless these can be developed and sustained, 
the rational and moral character of the human race will never 
be perfected. 

3648. Still, though animal food is never, except in peculiar 
cases of disease, to be wholly abandoned, we must be quite as 
scrupulous not to neglect the vegetable part of our diet. This 
is necessary in order to prevent the concentrated diet of flesh 
from too sudden and stimulating action. 



3649. Besides, our nature demands a portion of vegetables 
to keep the system in proper and healthy order. A mixed 
diet is the only right regimen — the proportions of the different 
kinds of food vary, with different ages and constitutions, in 
different climates and seasons ; still, in some degree, this rule 
should never be abandoned. 



3650. The very young require a large portion of mild fari- 
naceous vegetables, such as rice, sago, tapioca, and potatoes ; 
the two first are very easy of digestion. 



3651. There are three things to be attended to in cooking 
v^etables ; make them sufaciently soft, develop their best 



^ VEGETABLES. 605 

flavor, and correct any rank or disagreeable taste they may 
have. 

3652. These things are very easily accomplished — boil them 
sufiQciently ; change the water if they are rank or unpleasant, 
and add a little salt, sugar or spice, as the case may require. 



3653. Yegetables are always best when newly gathered, 
except the potato ; that is better in winter, if well kept. 



3654. They are in greatest perfection when in greatest 
plenty ; that is, in their proper season. 



3655. Except spinach, all vegetables should be boiled 
quickly (soft water is much the best) in an open vessel, and 
carefully skimmed. 

3656. To Clear Vegetables of Insects. — Make a strong 
brine of one pound and a half of salt to one gallon of water, 
into this place the vegetables with the stalk ends uppermost, 
for two or three hours ; this will destroy ail the insects which 
cluster in the leaves, and tliey will fall out and sink to the 
bottom of the water. ^ 

365t. Potatoes. — There are few articles in families more 
subject to waste, both in paring, boiling, and being actually 
thrown away, than potatoes ; and there are few cooks but 
what boil twice as many potatoes every day as are wanted ; and 
fewer still that do not throw the residue away as totally ulifit 
in any shape for the next day's meal. 



3658. Yet if they would take the trouble to beat up the de- 
spised cold potatoes with an equal quantity of flour, they would 
find them produce a much lighter dumpling or pudding than 
they can make with flour alone ; and by the aid of a few 
spoonfuls of good gravy, they will provide a cheap and agree- 
able appendage to the dinner table. 

3659. Bad Butter may be improved greatly by dissolving it 
thoroughly in hot water; let it cool, then skim it ofl', and 
churn again, adding a little good salt and sugar. A small 



606 MRS. bale's receipts for the milliox. 

quantity can be tried and approved before doing a larger one. 
The water should be merely hot enough to melt the butter or 
it will become oily. — (See ''Mrs. Hale's Cook Book.") 



3660. Dinners. — The appearance a dinner-table presents 
does not depend so much upon a profuseness of viands, as 
upon the neatness, cleanliness, and well-studied arrangement 
of the whole. Taste, if well directed, may produce a hand- 
some dinner ; whereas three times the amount of money may 
be expended upon another, and yet not make even a respect- 
able appearance. 



HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 

3661. Have you ever observed what a dislike servants have 
to any thing cheap. They hate saving their master's money* 
I tried this experiment with great success the other day. 



3662. Finding we consumed a vast deal of soap, T sat down 
in my thinking chair, and took the soap question into consi- 
deration, and found reason to suspect we were using a very 
expensive article, where a much cheaper one would serve the 
purpose better. 

3663. I ordered half a dozen pounds of both sorts, but 
took the precaution of changing the papers on which the 
prices were marked before giving them into the hands of Betty. 

3664. '* Well, Betty, which soap do you find washes best V 

3665. '^Oh, please sir, the dearest, in the blue paper; it 
makes a lather as well again as the other." 



3666. "Well, Betty, you shall always have it then.'' And 
thus the unsuspecting Betty saved me some pounds a-year, and 
washed the clothes better. — Rev. Sidney Smith. 



3667. Receipt for Obtaining Good Servants. — Let them 
observe in your conduct to others just-the qualities and virtues 
that you would desire they should possess and practice as 
respects you. Be uniformly kind and gentle. 



HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT. 607 

3668. If you reprove, do so with reason and with temper. 



3669. Be respectable, and you will be respected by them. 
Be kind, and you will meet kindness from them. 



36t0. Consider their interests, and they will consider yours. 
A friend in a servant is no contemptible thing. 



36T1. Be to every servant a friend ; and heartless, indeed, 
will be the servant w^ho does not warm in love to you. 



86t2. Four important rules : 



36t3. 1. A suitable place for everything, and every thing 
in its place. 

36T4. 2. A proper time for every thing, and every thing 
done in its time. 

3615. 3. A distinct name for every thing, and every thing 
called by its name. 

36T6. 4. A certain use for every thing, and every thing put 
to its use. 

36Yt. Oil-cloth should never be scrubbed with a brush, but 
after being first swept, it should be cleansed by washing with 
a large soft cloth and lukewarm or cold water. On no account 
use soap or hot water, as either will bring off the paint. 



3618. Straw Matting may be cleaned with a large coarse 
cloth dipped in salt and water, and then wiped dry : the salt 
prevents the matting from turning yellow. 



3619. Oil Paintings hung over the mantle-piece are liable 
to wrinkle with the heat. 



3680. Ottomans and Sofas, whether covered with cloth, 
damask, or chintz, will look much the better for being cleaned 
occasionally \yith bran and flannel. 



608 MRS. male's receipts for the milliox. 

36^1. Furnititre made in the winter, and brought from a 
cold warehouse into a warm apartment, is very liable to crack. 



3682. Rosewood furniture should be rubbed gently every 
day with a clean soft cloth, to keep it in order. 



BEVERAGES. 

3683. Water, pure, sweet, cool water is, undoubtedly, the 
most healthful drink for thirst. 



3684. Bad water should be filtered. — (See pages 42, 43.) 

3685. Tea and coffee are the best and least hurtful stimu- 
lants. ' 

3686. Liebig, with his chemical discoveries, demonstrates 
that they have become necessaries of life to all nations ; that 
they were both originally met with amongst nations whose diet 
is chiefly vegetable ; and by contributing to the formation of 
bile, their peculiar functions have become a substitute for 
animal food to a large class of the population whose consump- 
tion of meat is very limited, and to another large class who 
are unable to take regular exercise. 



368t. In makiyig coffee, observe that the broader the bot- 
tom and the smaller the top of the vessel, the better it will be. 



3688. Hiibstitute for Cream in Tea or Coffee. — Beat the 
white of an Qgg to a froth, put to it a very small lump of 
butter, and niix well. Then turn into it gradually, so that it 
may not curdle. If perfectly done, it will be an excellent sub- 
stitute for cream. — (See page 352.) 



3689. Iceland Moss Chocolate — For the Sick Boom. — Ice- 
land moss has been in the highest repute on the continent as 
a most eificacious remedy in incipient pulmonary complaints; 
combined with chocalate, it will be found a nutritious article 
of diet, and may be taken as a morning and evening beverage. 
Directions— ^'MiK a teaspoonful of the chocolate with a tea- 



BEVERAGES. 609 

spoonful of boiling water or milk, stirring constantly until it 
is completely dissolved. 



8690. It is not easy to persuade laboring men tliat water is 
the best beverage. Where the water is bad, some corrective 
or palliative will be had. Then home-brewed beer is to be 
commended. 

8691. Beer and Beverages. — (See *' Mrs. Hale's New Cook 
Book," page 39T.) 

3692. To restore a Bjirrel of Stale or Sour jBeer.— Put a 
quarter of a pound of good hops, and two pounds of sound chalk 
into the bung-hole, stop it close, and in a few days it will be 
fit for use. 

3693. Or, a small teaspoonful of carbonate of soda may be 
mixed with each quart as it is used. 



3694. To give New Beer the Jlavor of Old, — Take out the 
bung, and put into the cask a handful of pickled cucumbers, 
or a sliced Seville orange. Either mode will add an apparent 
six months to the age of the beer. 



3695. Common Beer, — Two gallons of water, a large hand- 
ful of hops, fresh gathered spruce or sweet fern, and one quart 
of wheat bran ; boil two or three hours, strain and stir in, 
while hot, two cups of molasses. When lukewarm, pour into a 
clean barrel, and add a pint of yeast. Shake it well together, 
and use next day. 

3696. To give Beer a rich Flavor. — Put six sea-biscuits 
into a bag of hops, and put them in the cask. 



369Y. Table Beer, cheap and wholesome. — Eight bottles of 
water, one quart of molasses, one pint of yeast, one tablespoon 
of cream of tartar, mixed and bottled in twenty-four hours. 



3698. Table Beer from Sugar. — To four pounds of coarse 
brown sugar add ten gallons of water and three ounces of 
hops. Let the whole boil three-quarters of an hour, and then 
work it as usual. It should stand a week or ten days before 

89 



610 MRS. bale's EECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION 

being drawn, and will improve daily afterward for a moderate 
time. 

3699. Treacle Beer. — Take a pound and a half of hops, 
and boil in thirty-six gallons of water for an hour, then add 
fourteen pounds of treacle, and a little yeast to work it ; fer- 
ment, and bottle. 

3T00. Summer Drinks. — Ice may.be used in all these 
beverages. 

3701. Tamarind Drink. — Boil three pints of water with an 
ounce and a half of tamarinds, three ounces of currants, and 
two ounces of stoned raisins, till about a third has evaporated. 
Strain, add a bit of lemon-peel, which is to be removed in 
half an hour, then cool. 



3T02. Sangaree. — Mix a bottle of Marsala wine with a 
bottle and a half of iced water, sweeten with loaf sugar, and 
flavor with lemon-juice and grated nutmeg. 



3103. Curds and Whey (cheap method).— Add six grains 
of citric acid to a wine-glassful of milk, and the result will be 
a pleasant acidulous whey, and a fine curd. 



3104. Currant Water. — Take a pound of currants, and 
squeeze into a quart of water ; put in four or five ounces of 
pounded sugar. Mix well, strain, and ice, or allow to get 
cold. 

3105. Eau Sucri. — Dissolve sugar in boiling water, and 
drink cold. 

3106. Lait Sucri. — Boil a pint of milk, sweeten with white 
sugar, and flavor with lemon. 



3101. Effervescing Lemonade. — Boil two pounds of white 
sugar with a pint of lemon-juice, bottle and cork. Pat a table- 
spoonful of the syrup into a tumbler about three parts full of 
cold water, add twenty grains of carbonate of soda and drink 
quickly. 



USEFUL RECEIPTS FOR FAMILY PRACTICE. Gil 

3708. Quince Syrup. — Grate quinces, pass the p.nlp through 
a sieve, then set before the fire for the juice to settle and cla- 
rify ; strain, and add a pound of sugar (boiled down) to every 
four ounces of juice ; remove from the fire, and when cold, 
bottle for use. A tablespoonful of this syrup will flavor a 
pint of water. 

3t09. Effervescing Saline Draughts.— White sugar pow- 
dered eight ounces, tartaric acid two ounces, sesquicarbonate 
of soda two ounces, essence of lemon a few drops. Mix well 
and keep in a corked bottle. 



3710. Summer Champagne. — To four parts of selter water 
add one of Moselle wine (or hock), and put a teaspoonful of 
powdered sugar into a wine-glassful of this mixture ; an ebulli- 
tion takes place, and you have a sort of champagne which is 
more wholesome in hot weather than the genuine wine known 
by that name. 

3711. An excellent Spring Beverage. — The yolk of eggs 
beaten up, lump sugar (quantum sufficit), Rhenish wine or 
not, citric acid, powdered, or tartaric acid (small quantity, 
exact quantity soon found) ; one or two drops of essence of 
lemon on a lump of sugar, to make it mix readily with the 
water ; one quart of water. This is really an excellent, agree- 
able, and, without the wine, an inexpensive beverage. Good 
for bilious complaints. 



USEFUL RECEIPTS FOR FAMILY PRACTICE. 

37 12. Prevention of Baldness. — Eau de Cologne two ounces, 
tincture of cantharides two drachms, oil of rosemary, oil of 
nutmeg, and oil of lavender, each ten drops. To be rubbed 
on the bald part of the head every night. 



3713. Cramp in Bathing. — For the cure of the cramp when 
swimming. Dr. Franklin recommends a vigorous and violent 
shock to the part affected, by suddenly and forcibly stretching 
out the leg, which should be darted, out of the water into the 
air if possible. 



612 MKS. HALE'3 EECEIPT3 FOR THE MILLION. 

3714. Biting the Nails. — This is a habit that should be im- 
mediately corrected in children, as, if persisted in for any 
length of time, it permanently deforms the nails. 



ST 15. Dipping the finger-ends in some bitter tincture will 
generally prevent children from putting them to the mouth ; 
but if this fails, as it sometimes will, each finger-end ought to 
. be encased in a finger-stall until the propensity is eradicated. 

3T16. Flour of Brimstone is a mild aperient in doses of 
about a quarter of an ounce : it is best taken in milk. 

3T17. To Fill a Decayed Tooth. — Procure a small piece of 
gutta percha, drop it into boiling water, then, with the thumb 
and finger, take off as much as you suppose will fill up the 
tooth nearly level, and while in this soft state press it into the 
tooth; then hold on that side of the mouth cold water two or 
three times, which will harden it. 



3718. Cod-liver oil. — Cod-liver oil is neither more nor less 
than cod-oil clarified ; and consequently two-thirds of its 
medicinal qualities are abstracted thereby. 



3719. Cod oil can be purchased pure at any wholesale oil 
warehouse, at about one-thirtieth part of the price charged for 
the so-called cod-liver oil.* Many persons who have used cod- 
oil pure as imported, have found it to answer much better than 
the cod-liver oil purchased of a druggist. 



3720. The best vehicle for taking cod-liver oil in, is new 
milk ; and the disagreeable flavor of the drug can easily be 
covered by the addition of one drachm of orange peel to every 
eight ounces of the oil. 

3721. To prevent Lockjaw, from a Nail run into the Foot, or 
any other injury. — Pour some turpentine into a tin cup and 
hold it over a lighted candle or the fire until it boils. It boils 
at so low a temperature that it will not burn when applied to 
the skin. Make a swab by wrapping soft muslin or linen 
round a stick. Dip this in the turpentine and apply it to the 
wound, rubbing it in carefully for some time. Apply it as 
warm as can be borne. — (See page 375.) 



USEFUL RECEIPTS FOR FAMILY PRACTICE. 613 

8722. Squinting, — Squinting frequently arises from the un- 
equal strength of the eyes, the weaker eye being turned away 
from the object, to avoid the fatigue of exertion. Cases of 
squinting of long standing have often been cured by covering 
the stronger eye, and thereby compelling" the weaker one to 
exertion. 

3723. It is often a question amongst people who are un- 
acquainted with the anatomy and physiology of man, whether 
lying with his head exalted, or even with the body, is most 
wholesome. Most, consulting their own ease on this point, 
argue in favor of that which they prefer. 



8724. Now, although many delight in bolstering up their 
heads at night and sleep soundly without injury, yet we declare 
it to be- a dangerous habit. The vessels through which blood 
passes from the heart to the head, are always lessened in the 
cavities when the head is resting in bed higher than the body, 
therefore^ in all diseases attended with fever, the head should 
be pretty near on a level with the body ; and people ought to 
accustom themselves to sleep thus to avoid danger. 



8725. Dyeing the Hair. — It maybe stated once for all that 
this practice is decidedly injurious. It may fail altogether in 
producing the desired result ; it ie never unattended by a 
certain amount of unpleavsant circumstances, and frequently 
with evil results. 

3726. In the first place, the alteration of the abnormal 
color, so far as the general aspect of the face is concerned, has 
an effect the very reverse of that which was intended. 
Every constituent part of man tends to make the human 
machine one harmonious whole. The figure, the st^re, the 
skin, the hair, the gait, &c. 



8727. Fair hair is associated with a sanguineous and lym- 
phatic temperament, a fine and white skin, blue eyes, and a 
soft and mi-Id expression. 



3728. Black hair, on the contrary, is generally connected 
with a bilious habit of body, a muscular and nervous temper- 



614 MRS. HALE'S receipts for the TrnLLION 

ament, a dark and yellowish skin, lively black eyes, and a bold, 
prond air. 

3'r29. Bed hair is associated with a peculiar constitution, 
although closely approaching to the fair type. In this variety 
the skin is transparent, fresh, and presents a peculiar limpidity, 
which belongs exclusively to the color of hair mentioned. 

3T30. The Contrast. — If, then, from the impression that red 
hair is a disfigurement, it is dyed black, what relation can 
exist between this new color and the soft blue eye, and a skin 
so fine and so susceptible, that the sun's rays seem to pene- 
trate it, in the form of those lentiginbus spots commonly called 
freckles. . 

3731. Be at much pains to keep your children's .feet dry 
and warm. Don't bury their bodies in heavy flannels and 
wools, and leave their knees and legs naked. 



3^132. For Nausea. — Three drops of hartshorn in a wine- 
glass of water. 

3133. For SicJc Headache. — One teaspoonful of pulverized 
charcoal and one-third of a teaspoonful of soda mixed in very 
warm water. 

3T34. Decoction of Sarsaparilla. — Take four ounces of the 
root, slice it down, put the slices into four pints of water, 
and simmer for four hours. Take out the sarsaparilla, and 
beat it into a mash ; put it into the liquor again, and boil 
down to two pints, then strain and cool the liquor. Dose — a 
wine-glassful three times a day. 



3T35. Use — to purify the blood after a course of mercury; 
or indeed ^whenever any taint is given to the constitution, 
vitiating the blood, and producing eruptive affections. 



3736. Cough Syrup. — Sleep for twelve hours or more a 
teacupful of wild-cherry bark in a quart of water. Add sugar 
enough to make it quite sweet and let it boil to a syrup. 



3737. Cough Syrup — Very Good, — Take a large handful 



MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. 615 

of the herb^ hoarliound, amd the same quantity of boneset. 
Steep them in a quart of water till it is reduced to a pint. 
Then strain the tea and mix with it a pint of syrup and a pint 
of sugar. Let it simmer for three or four hours, skimming it. 

3138. Cure for Pain in the Ear. — Take a teaspoonful of 
brown sugar, put it on a shovel or any thing that you can 
place over hot coals of fire until it gets thick, dissolve it in 
camphor, and drop it in the ear. 

3Y39. Gingerbread Aperients. — Gingerbread, made with 
oatmeal or with barley flour, is a very agreeable aperient for 
children. Beware of giving children medicines too frequently. 

3140. For Bowel Complaints. — One tablespoonful of flour, 
one ditto of brandy, one ditto of loaf sugar, mixed together. 

3141. Jaundice. — One pennyworth of allspice, ditto of 
flour of brimstone, ditto of turmeric ; these to be well pounded 
together, and afterward to be mixed with half-a-pound of 
molasses. Two table-spoonsful to be taken every day. 



3142 Night Sweats. — Drink freely of cold sage tea; said 
to be a certain remedy ; or, take elixir of vitriol in a little 
sweetened water. Dose from twenty to thirty drops. 



MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS, RULl:S, EtC. 

3143. To Cure a Soft Corn when between the Toes. — A 
small piece of cotton wool applied fresh every morning — gives 
no inconvenience, is cleanly, and efficacious. Caslile Soap 
placed between the toes is both cure and preve;;tive of soft 
corns. 

3144. Excellent Remedy for Lumbago. — Dip a piece of 
flannel in scalding water; wring it out, and sprinkle some tur- 
pentine immediately over it, and apply it quickly to the part 
affected by the pain. Repeat this process a few times, and it 
will aff'ord certain relief. 



616 MES. HALE'S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

3T45. Burns and Scalds. — Cold water is the readiest, 
surest, most plentiful, and, for these reasons, the best remedy 
for burns and scalds. Use it instantly, it will remove pain 
and smarting ; keep a cloth wet and cold upon the affected 
part for five or six hours after the injury has occurred ; a 
blister will never rise, and the skin will be quite free from pain 
afterward.— (See 109, 110.) 

8T46. Scratches. — Trifling as scratches often seem, they 
ought never to be neglected, but should be covered and pro- 
tected, and kept clean and dry, until they have completely 
healed. 

3T4 iT. If there is the least appearance of inflammation, no 
time should be lost in applying a large bread and water poul- 
tice, or hot flannels repeatedly applied. 



8T48. Ringworm. — The head to be washed twice a day with 
soft soap and warm soft water ; when dried, the places to be 
rubbed with a piece of linen rag dipped in ammonia from gas 
tar; the patient should take a little sulphur and molasses, or 
some other general aperient, every morning ; brushes and 
combs should be washed every day, and the ammonia kept 
tightly corked. — (See page 99.) 



3T49. Another Cure for Eingworms. — Common sulphur 
mixed with butter and pepper till it is a salve : apply twice 
a day. 

3750. Invaluable Ointment. — Obtain a pint of real cream, 
let it simmer over the fire, or on the side, till it resembles 
butter, and forms a thick oily substance, which may be used as 
ointment for fresh or old wounds, cracked lips or hands. 



3T51. To avoid catching Cold. — Accustom yourself to the 
use of sponging with cold water every morning on first gertting 
out of bed. It should be followed with a good deal of rub- 
bing with a wet towel. It has considerable effect in giving 
tone to the skin, and maintaining a proper action in it, and 
thus proves a safeguard to the injurious influence of cold and 
Budden changes of temperature. 



MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS, ETC. 617 

3752. Friction of the body is one of the most gentle and 
salutary kinds of exercise, cleaning the skin, dispersing stag- 
nating humors, promoting perspiration, strengthening the 
fibres, and increasing the warmth and energy of the whole 
body. 

8753. Depilatory. — Take of sulphate of sodium, or hydro- 
sulphate of soda, crystallized, three parts ; quick-lime in pow- 
der, ten ditto ; starch, ten ; mix. This powder, mixed with 
a little water, and applied over the skin, acts so rapidly as a 
depilatory, that if it be removed in a minute or two after its 
application by means of a wooden knife, the surface of the skin 
will be entirely deprived of hair. 



3754. By this process, the removal of hair becomes so 
simple, rapid, and safe in operation, that it will possibly super- 
cede the use of the razor in many cases ; it is only after several 
days that the hair begins again to appear. 



3755. Brandy and Salt as a Medicine. — It is useful- in the 
reduction of inflammation of fractured limbs or bruises, the 
alleviation of incurable sores, cure of ringworms, headache, 
toothache, inflammation in the eyes, ague, colic, pains in the 
side, chilblains, burns and scalds, cancers, sprains, open sores, 
asthmas, and complaints of the lungs. 



3756. Fill a bottle three-quarters full with good brandy, 
after which add as much salt as will fill the bottle for cork- 
ing; shake it together twenty minutes ; let the salt settle to 
the bottom, and do not shake it up before using. The clearer 
it is used the better. 

3757. A bottle of this preparation should be constantly 
kept ready for use, as its virtues have been fully tested. When 
taken inwardly, for asthma, bowel complaints, &c., mix two 
spoonfuls with equal quantity of warm water. 



3758. Cancer. — Five out of six cases have been cured by 
brandy and salt, described above. The pain is very severe, 
but temporary. 

8759. Poison, from vines, may be cured by bathing in whis- 



618 MRS. hale's receipts for the milliox. 

key and cream, and cooling with rye flour ; if obstinate, use a 
strong solution of copperas. 



3760. Simple Remedy for a Pain in the Side. — At bed- 
time take a fresh cabbage-leaf, hold it near the fire till quite 
warm, and then apply it to the part affected, binding it tight 
with a cloth round the body ; let it remain for twelve hours 
or more, when it will generally be found to have removed the 
pain. 

8761. If not entirely removed, it will be well to repeat the 
application of a fresh leaf, allowing it to remain on the same 
time as the first. 

3762. Boils.— See page 109. 



3763. Carbuncles. — These should be brought to a head by 
warm poultices, by fermentation with hot water, or by stimu- 
lating plasters. When ripe, they should be discharged by a 
needle, or the lancet. But this should not be attempted until 
they are fully proved. 

3764. Constitutional Treatment. — Stimulating food and 
drinks, such as ale, porter, champagne and other wines. 
Strong beef tea should be taken freely — it is very nourishing. 

3765. Carbuncles reduce the strength greatly. — To recover 
this, Peruvian bark and sea-bathing are recommended. 



3766. An inflamed bunion should be poulticed, and larger 
shoes be worn. Iodine, twelve grains ; lard or spermaceti oint- 
ment, half an ounce, makes a capital ointment for bunions. It 
should be rubbed on gently twice or thrice a-day. — See page 97. 



3767. Frost-Bitten Feet. — Dissolve half pound alum in one 
gallon warm water, and soak fifteen minutes. 



37G8. Valuable Aperient iHlls.—Ynnv drachms C r:n.e 
soap, four drachms soceoiriiie aloes ; make into the plll^ with 
a siiiflcient quantity of syrup. Two or lhr.ee may be taken 
when costive. 

3769. Good Eye-Water. — ^Ten teaspoonsful of water, one 
ditto of brandy, and one ditto of vinegar. 



MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS, ETC. 619 

S110. Lip Salve. — Spermaceti ointment, half an ounce ; bal- 
sam of Peru, one quarter of a drachm. Mix. It is not couleur di' 
7^ose, but it will cure — often with but a single application. Apply 
a thin coating with the forefinger, just before getting into bed 



^^^1, An Excellent Tooth Poivder. — Cuttle-fish, prepared 
chalk, and orris-root, commingled together in equal quantities, 
which any one may procure separately from any respectable 
chemist, and mix himself. 



31 Y 2. To remove Tartar from the Teeth. — Strawberries, 
ripe, or dried and powdered, are excellent to clean the teeth. 



31 T 3. To drive away Bats. — Potash strewn around rat 
holes, will drive the vermin away. 

3114. To kill Flies. — Cobalt in powder, moistened with 
hot water, and covered with a little sugar. 

3115. Gum Water. — It is a fact not generally known that 
gum should be dissolved in vinegar instead of water, especially 
when it is wanted for immediate use. 



3116. To remove Water-stains from Black Crape. — When 
a drop of water falls on a black crape vail or collar, it leaves a 
conspicuous white mark. To obliterate this, spread the crape 
on a table (laying on it a large book or a paper weight to 
keep it steady), and place underneath the stain a piece of old 
black silk. With a large camePs hair brush dipped in common 
ink, go over the stain ; and then wipe oflf the ink with a little 
bit of old soft silk. It will dry immediately, and the white 
mark will be seen no more. 



3111. Copper in liquids maybe detected by spirits of harts- 
horn, which turns them blue. 



3118. Arsenic may be detected by a solution of blue vitriol 
drop])ed into the suspected liquid, which will turn green, if 
arsenic be present. 

3119. To remove Ink Stains from Silver. — The tops and 



6SK) MRfll. HALE'S RECEIPTS FOB THE MILLION. 

<)ther portions of silver inkstands frequently become discolored 
with ink, which is difficult to remove by ordinary means. It 
may, however, be complately eradicated by making a little 
chlorid of lime into a paste with water, and rubbing it upon 
the stains. 

3Y80. To remove Ink Stains from Woody do. — As much 
oxalic acid as will lay on a sixpence, dissolved in a tablespoon- 
ful of hot water ; lay some on the wood, and rub hard with a 
cork until the stain disappears ; then wash and f epolish. The 
above will remove the stain, without injury to the color of the 
wood, mahogany or any other kind. It also cleans the brass- 
work. 

3781. To Clean Plate. — Take of cream of tartar, alum, and 
common salt, each an ounce, and boil in a gallon of water, 
throw the plate in and boil ; when taken out and rubbed dry 
it will look beautiful. Plate, when laid aside, will generally 
tarnish, but if cleaned by this method, at stated periods, it 
will always look well. ___ 

8782. Washing Paint. — The best method to wash paint is 
to rub some Bath-brick fine, and when you have rubbed some 
soap on the flannel, dip it in the brick. This will remove the 
grease and dirt speedily, without injury. 



8183. Glue Paste. — Instead of pure water for mixing the 
fiour, use glue-water, to which add some alum and resin to 
keep it from turning. It must be made very thick. 



8784. Whenever oil is used for the purpose of artificial 
light, it should be kept free from all exposure to atmospheric 
air ; as it is apt so absorb considerable quantities of oxvygen. 
If oil is very coarse or tenacious, a very small quantity of oil 
of turpentine may be added. 

3785. Bv^s. — Spirits of naphtha rubbed with a small 
painter's brush into every part of a bedstead is a certain way 
of getting i'id of bugs. — (See p. 87.) 



8786. Calcareous Deposits in Boilers. — In a common tea- 



MlSCELLANEOtrS EECEIPTS, ETC. 621- 

kettle, potatos boiled a few times, will remove the calcareous 
deposits, and a few oyster-shells, kept constantly in the kettle, 
will prevent future accumulations. 



8787. To remove the Stoppers of Glass Bottles. — Dip a 
piece of linen or cloth in hot water, and wrap it tightly round 
the neck of the bottle. In a few minutes the stopper will 
probably be loosened ; if not, repeat the application. I have 
never found this method to fail. 



3788. How to get a Tight Eing off a Finger. — Thread a 
needle, flat in the eye, with a strong thread, pass the head of 
the needle with care under the ring, and pull the thread 
through a few inches toward the hand ; wrap the long end of 
the thread tightly round the finger, regularly all down to the nail^ 
to reduce its size. Then lay hold of the short end, and un- 
wind it. 

3789. The thread repassing against the ring, will gradually 
remove it from the finger. This never-failing method will re- 
move the tightest ring without difficulty, however much swollen 
the finger may be. 

3790. Gleaning Knives. — Mutton fat made hot, and put on a 
leather or buff-board, with emery-dust — not powder, as that is 
too sharp — well rubbed in with an old brush, is the best way 
of giving a knife as good a polish and edge as any razor. 

3791. To restore the Golor to Mahogany. — Wash well with 
eoap and water, and then polish daily with the following oil : 
Take half an ounce of alkanet root, cut small, and add to a 
pint of linseed oil ; when this has stood for a week, add half 
an ounce of powdered gum-arabic, and an ounce of shellac 
varnish ; let them stand in a bottle by the fire for a week, then 
strain. Rub well in. 

3792. Rice Flour Gem.ent. — An excellent cement may bo 
made from rice flour, which is at present used for that purpose 
in China and Japan. It is only necessary to mix the rice flour 
intimately with cold water, and gently simmer it over a fire, 
when it readily forms a delicate and durable cement, not only 
answering all the purposes of common paste, but admirably 



G22 MRS. bale's receipts fob the million 

adapted for joining together paper, cards, &c., in forming the 
Yarious beautiful and tasteful ornaments which affords much 
employment and amusement to the ladies. 



3193. When made of the consistence of plaster-clay, models, 
busts, bas-relievos, &c. may be formed of it, and the articles, 
when dry, are susceptible of high polish, and very durable. — 
(See p. TO.) 

3194. Oil of Lavender. — A few drops in a library will 
keep the books from moulding. A single drop of the same 
will prevent a pint of ink from mouldiness for any length of 
time. Paste may be kept from mould entirely by this addi- 
tion ; and leather is also effectually secured from injury by the 
same agency; 

3195. Ink. — To make five gallons of good ink, costing but 
twelve-and-a-half cents, take half a pound of extract of log- 
wood, and dissolve it in five gallons of hot water, and add half 
an ounce of bichromate potash. Strain and bottle it. 

3196. Blue Tracing Ink. — Indigo tied in a flannel bag, 
moistened with water. Put a lump of white sugar into an 
egg-cup, and squeeze out the blue on it; the sugar stiffens it, 
so as to prevent its running, and the color depends on the 
quantity of water used. Use a quill pen. 



3191. Marking Linen, preparation. — The preparation used 
for wetting linen, previous to marking it with ink, is a drachm 
of salt of tartar in one and a half ounces af water. 



3198. Economy in Candles. — If you would burn a candle 
all night, unless you use the following precaution, it is ten to 
one an ordinary candle will gutter away in an hour or two, 
sometimes to the endangering the safety of a house. This 
may be avoided by placing as much common salt, finely pow- 
dered, as will reach from the tallovr^ to the bottom of the black 
part of the wick of a partly-burnt candle, when, if the same 
be lit, it will burn very slowly, yielding sufiicient light for a 
bed-chamber ; the salt will gradually sink as the tallow is con- 
sumed, the melted tallow being drawn through the salt, and 
consumed in the wick. 



MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS, ETC. 023 

3799. Deafjiess. — Take three drops of a sheep^s gall, warm, 
and drop it into the ear on going to bed. The ear mnst 
be thoroughly syringed with warm soap and water in the 
morning. 

3800. Times of Application. — The gall must be applied 
for three successive nights. It is only efficacious when the 
deafness is produced by cold. The most convenient way of 
warming the gall is by holding it in a silver spoon over the 
flame of a candle. — (See p. 95.) 



3801. For Seartburn, &c. — Orange juice (of one orange), 
water and lump sugar to flavor, and in proportion to acidity 
of orange, bicarbonate of soda, about half a teaspooful. Mix 
orange juice, water and sugar together in a tumbler, then put 
in the soda, stir, and the effervescence ensues. 



3802. Remedy for Rheumatism, Lumbago , Sprains, Chil- 
blains, (before they are broken) Bruises, and Bites of 
Insects. — One raw ^g^ well beaten, half a pint of vinegar, one 
ounce of spirits of turpentine, a quarter of an ounce of spirits 
of wine, a quarter of an ounce of camphor. These ingredients 
to be beaten well together, then put in a bottle and shaken for 
ten minutes, after which, to be corked down tightly to exclude 
the air. In half an hour it is fit for use. 



3803. How to use it. — To be well rubbed in, two, three, or 
four times a day. — For rheumatism in the head, to be rubbed 
at the back of the neck and behind the ears. — (See page 101.) 



3804. Asthma. — The following is recommended as a relief. 
— Two ounces of the best honey, and one ounce of castor oil 
mixed. A teaspoonful to be taken night and morning. — (See 
page 103.) 

3805. For Scurf in the Heads of Infants.' — Lard, two 
ounces ; sulphuric acid, diluted, two drachms ; rub them 
together, and anoint the head once a day. 



3806. For Moth on the Skin. — These unpleasant, discolor- 
ations may be entirely removed by a wash made of borax and 
vinegar. 



624 MR3. kale's RECEIPTg FOR THE MILLION 

3807. Sunburn. — A little scraped horseradish mixed in 
warm milk and rubbed on the face and hands will whiten the 
skin. 

^ 3808. Cold Cream. — A piece of sperm candle two inches 
long, a small cake of white wax, three table spoonsful of fresh 
sweet oil ; just melt it on the fire, stirring it, and take it off 
stirring it till it is cold. Before it is quite cold stir in any 
perfume you prefer. — (See page 136.) 

3809. A New Method for the Hair. — Carefully avoid all 
lotions ajttd pomades. 

3810. Keep the hair and scalp clean by the use of the brush 
and comb. 

3811. Twice a day, at least, comb it out in such a manner 
that the air may pass through it freely ; then, with the fingers, 
moisten the roots with soft water, at the same time gently 
rubbing the scalp. 



3812. This will not only fasten and renovate the old hair, 
but actually bring out a fine new suit ; the length of time for 
this purpose varying with the health and constitution of the 
patient. 

3813. Should the hair become too dry, lessen the quantity 
of water employed, and use a very little cocoanut or perfumed 
castor oil. 

This receipt is also invaluable as a remedy for headache or 
neuralgia. „..__««. 

3814. Headache — A Sure JRemedy. -^^Wet paper, white or 
brown, bound tightly on the forehead with a bandage or ker- 
chief, the part pressing over the forehead to be also made wet 
with cold water, though not dripping. This process, if followed 
nightly, will entirely prevent headaches, and also keep the fore- 
head free from wrinkles. Try it. 



3815. To Promote the Growth of Whiskers, Mustaches ^ 
&c, — The best method to force the growth of whiskers and 
mustaches, is to shave the parts frequently. Use as a stimu- 
lant the asheB of burned tobacco, and bay-water. 



MISCELLANEOUS BECEIPTS, ETC. 625 

3816. Cosmetics generally. — (See page 152 and on.) 



3811. The Complexion can only be preserved in freshness, 
softness and beauty, by cleanliness, regular exercise, temper- 
ance, a plain diet and pure air, and a cheerful temper. 



3818. Offensive Breath, — Use the concentrated solution of 
chlorid of soda. From two to five drops of it in a wine-glasg 
full of pure spring water, taken immediately after the opera- 
tions of the morning are completed. 



3819. In some cases the odor arising from carious teeth is 
combined with that of the stomach. If the mouth be well 
rinsed with a teaspoonful of the solution of the chlorid in a 
tumbler of water, the bad odor of the teeth will be removed. 



3820. Breath tainted by Onions. — Leaves of parsley, eaten 
with vinegar, will prevent the disagreeable consequences of 

eating onions. 

%. ' 

3821. Toothache. — Put a small piece of the inside of a nut- 
gall into the hollow tooth, and replace by another bit every 
U.alf-hour, as long as white matter comes away with the piece 
taken out. 

3822.. Black eyes may be cured by a lotion made of equal 
parts of gin, vinegar, and cold water mixed. Bathe the eye 
for ten or iSfteen minutes, and repeat in an hour if the pain 
continues. 

3823. Bilious Disorders. — If a person is bilious, it is gene- 
rally owing to errors in regimen. Let these be reformed, and 
the complaints will cease. But if a person would be always 
bilious,- let him be often taking calomel, or blue pill, or active 
purges. Lee's antibilious, &c., and he will certainly succeed : 
the soundest liver will not be proof against such remedies for 
bile. 

3824. Remedy for Bile. — The yolks of eggs taken fasting. 
If required, beat up the egg with a little sugar and lemon- 
juice. 

40 ^ . 



MES. HALE 9 EHCEIPTS FOR THS MILLION. 

3825. Household HintSj etc. — (See page 210.) 



3826. Hard Water. — When water is bard, and will not 
readily unite with soap, it will always be proper to boil it 
before use. — (See pages 42, 43 ; also " General Washing," 
pages 46, 4t.) 

3827. Materials for Washing, — The meal of many kinds of 
seed may be used for washing, as well as various kinds of 
bran. That of almonds, which, on account of its oil, is re- 
markably soft, is employed at present for washing the hands, 
by those who are desirous of having a white delicate skin. 
Clath, the colors of which easily fade, and which will neither 
endure soap nor hard rubbing, may be washed extremely well 
with bran. Our fullers, therefore, and stocking-manufacturers, 
use oats, barley, and bran meal, especially when they wish the 
cloth to be slowly milled. 



3828. To Wash White Lace. — Cover a glass bottle with 
calico or linen, and then tack the lace or collar smoothly upon 
it, rub it with soap, and cover it with calico. Boil it for 
twenty minutes in soft water ; let all dry together, and the 
lace will be found to be ready for use. 



3829. A long piece of lace must be wound round and round 
the bottle, the edge of each round a little above the last, and 
a few stitches to keep it firm at the beginning and end will be 
found sufficient, but a collar will require more tacking to keep 
it in its place. — (See page 53.) 



3830. Bleaching Liquid. — Take one pound of chlorid of 
lime, empty it into a stone jar, and pour on it one gallon of 
water; stir it well with a stick for fifteen minutes ; then let it 
settle, and pour off the clear liquor into clean bottles, and 
cork them up. A tumblerful of this preparation, added to a 
tubful of water, in which the clothes are rinsed, will add very 
much to their whiteness. 



3831. Washing Windows. — The nicest article for washing 
windows is deer skin, as no particles come off to adhere to the 
glass and make it look as if washed with feathers. 



HOUSEHOLD HINTS, ETC. 62T 

3832. Wash-leather and a bowl of suds are all that are 
necessary. Wipe the glass first with the wet cloth or leather, 
and after it has become dry, with the clean cloth ; and it will 
look clear, and far more so than if rinsed in a dozen pails of 
water. 

3833. Cleaning Kid Gloves. — Lay the gloves flat on a towel, 
and wash them with a piece of clean flannel and the best 
yellow soap, being careful to squeeze the flannel as dry as it is 
possible 10 use it. When the dirt is removed, with another 
piece of flannel wash them lightly with plain milk. — (See 
page 53.) 

3834. Stains may be removed from the hands by w^ashing 
them in a small quantity of oil of vitriol and cold water with- 
out soap. 

3835. Cleaning Velvets.-^ A very simple method of cleaning 
velvets is to procure a small square of pipe-clay (such as the 
soldiers use to clean their uniforms with) and scrape a little 
off' upon the velvet ; then take a brush, made of the same 
material as the carpet-whisk, and lightly brush it off. This 
raises the pile, and restores the bloom. 

3836. SilJc articles should not be kept folded in white 
papers, as the chlorid of lime used in bleaching the paper 
will impair the color of the silk. 



383T. Papier-Mache articles should be washed with a 
sponge and cold water without soap, dredged with flour while 
damp, and polished with a flannel. 

3838. Worsted and Lambs^-Wool Stockings should never 
be mended with worsted or lambs'-wool, because the latter 
being new it shrinks more than the stockings, and draws them 
up till the toes become short and narrow, and the heels have 
no shape left. 

3839. In choosing Paper for a room, avoid that which 
has a variety of colors, or a large, showy figure, as no furni- 
ture can appear to advantage with sucli. Large figured 
papering makes a small room look smaller. 



628 MR3. HALES EECEIPTS FOE THE MILLION. 

3840. Bright green colors are dangerous when first put on, 
because poisons are used in the coloring matter. 



3841. Grilt frames may be protected from flies and dust by 
oiled tarlatan pinned over them. Tarlatan already prepared, 
may be purchased at the upholsterers'. If it cannot be pro- 
cured, it is easily made by brushing boiled oil over cheap 
tarlatan. It is an excellent material for keeping dust from 
books, vases, woodwork, and every description of household 
ornament. — (See page 18.) 



3842. To Pack Glass or China. — Procure some soft straw 
or hay to pack them in, and if they are to be sent a long way, 
and are heavy, the hay or straw should be a little damp, which 
will prevent them slipping about. Let the largest and heaviest 
things be always put undermost, in the box or hamper. 



3843. Let there be plenty of straw, and pack the articles 
tight ; but never attempt to pack up glass or china which is 
of much consequence, till it has bee-n seen done by some one 
used to the job. The expense will be but trifling to have a 
person to do it who understands it, and the loss may be great 
if articles of such value are packed up in an improper manner. 



3844. To Polish Enameled Leather, — Two pints of the 
best cream, one pint of linseed oil ; make them each luke- 
warm, and then mix them well together. 



DIETETIC MAXIMS. 

8845. A healthy appetite is to be acquired by early rising, 
regular exercise in the open air, a cheerful mind, and absti- 
nence from intoxicating liquors. 



3846. The food should be eaten slowly, so that it be well 
masticated and mixed with the saliva. 



3847. Animal food is sooner digested in the stomach than 
vegetable ; but it is more stimulating or heating to the system. 



DIETETIC MAXIMS. 629 

Flesh that has been loDg salted, dried hams, beef, &c., are less 
easily digested and less nutritive than fresh meat. 



3848. Farinaceous and vegetable food, generally, is slower 
of digestion than animal, but it is less heating ; many kinds 
of vegetable food are very nutritive. 



3849. Solid food, or food of a certain fibrous or puipy con- 
sistence, is more fitted for digestion in the stomach than rich 
Boups, jellies, and all highly concentrated sauces. The latter 
are rendered more digestible by the addition of bread 



3850. Fish are not so nourishing as the flesh of land ani- 
mals,' and with many stomachs entirely disagree. The white 
fish, when in season, are generally lighter, and less apt to 
disagree with the stomach than the red. 

3851. In summer the food should consist principally of 
vegetables ; in winter, a larger amount of animal matter may 
be taken, especially by the laborer. 



3852. Boiling renders food more tender and digestible, but 
it deprives it of a considerable portion of its nutritive prin- 
ciple. 

3853. Animal food should not be over boiled ; vegetables 
should be boiled until perfectly tender. 



3854. Roasting dissipates less of the nutritive parts of the 
meat. Roasted meat is, therefore, more nourishing than 
boiled, but much more stimulating. 



3855. Bread constitutes a wholesome addition to all our 
meals. It should be perfectly raised, fully baked, and one 
day old. ^ 

3856. All excess in eating should be avoided, but the quan- 
tity of food proper to be taken at one time depends entirely 
on the constitution, age, habits, degree of health, season of the 
year, climate, &c. The best guide is to be found in the calls 
of a healthy appetite. 



630 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

3857. Health, and strength of body, depend upon the health 
of the stomach, and consequent perfection of the digestive 
powers, much more than upon the quantity or even quality of 
the food taken. 

3858. Water is the most wholesome drink. Toast and 
water, sweetened water, or water with a slight addition of a 
vegetable acid, are useful diluents during the summer. 



3859. Distilled and fermented liquors impede digestion ; 
and, when drank to any great extent, invariably destroy the 
tone of the stomach, and of the system generally. 



3860. The stomach ought not to be over distended with 
fluids during, immediately preceding, nor after a meal. 



3861. When the stomach is very weak, very little fluid 
should be taken during or after eating. Dry solid food 
requires more dilution than that which is juicy or fluid. 



3862. Exercise should be used in the intervals between 
meals, but not immediately before or after them. 



HINTS TO MECHANICS AND WORKMEN. 

3863. If you would avoid the diseases which your particular 
trades and work are liable to produce, attend to the following 
hints : 

3864. Keep, if possible, regular hours. Never suppose that 
you have done extra work, when you sit up till midnight, and 
do not rise till eight or nine in the morning. 



3865. Abstain from ardent spirits, cordials, and malt 
liquors. Let your drink be, like that of Franklin, when he 
was a printer — pure water. 



3866. Never use tobacco in any form. By chewing, smok- 
ing, or snuffing, you spend money which would help to clothe 
you, or would enable you, if single, to make a useful present 



HINTS TO MECHANICS AND WORKMEN. 681 

to an aged mother or dependent sister ; or, if married, to buy 
your wife a frock, or get books for your children. You also, 
by any of these filthy practices, injure your health — bringing 
on headache, gnawing at the stomach, low spirits, trembling 
of the limbs, and, at times, sleeplessness. 



386T. Be particular in preserving your skin clean, by regu- 
lar washing of your hands, and face, and mouth, before each 
meal, and of your whole body at least once a week, and by 
combing and brushing the hair daily. 



3868. Always have fresh air in the room in which you work, 
but so that you shall not be in a draft. 



3869. Take a short time in the morning, if possible, and 
always in the evening, or toward sundown, for placing your 
body in a natural posture, by standing erect, and exercising 
your chest and limbs by a walk where the air is the purest. 



38Y0. The Fireside, — Admit no rival here. Let your chief 
joys be shared by her who has forsaken all other hearts and 
hopes for you ; by those who must inherit honor or disgrace 
from your course of life. Shun the bar-room and the purlieus 
of intoxication. They are, to thousands, the avenues to 
infamy. _____ 

38T1. The rivals of our Home are many and fearful. 
Among the direst is the drinking-plaee, whether known as 
porter-house, grog-shop, or tavern. The man who spends his 
evenings in these Stygian fumes, soon grovels and wallows 
away half his civilization. 



38 ir2. The tavern-haunter drinks till he feels himself half- 
ruined ; he is wretched ; he drinks to drown liis wretchedness ; 
he does drown it, and his soul along with it I 



38t3. Home! — It marks the sacred spot to which the cares 
and tumult of the world do not reach ; and where, except in 
cases of extreme depravity, its vices do not intrude. 



632 MRS. bale's receipts for the MILLIOIf. 



MAXIMS AND MORALS FOR ALL MEK 

3814. The world estimates men by their succesg in life ; and, 
by general consent, success is evidence of superiority. 

3815. Never, under any circumstances, assume a responsi- 
bility you can avoid consistently with your duty to yourselves 
and others. 

38T6. Base all your actions upon a principle of right ; pre- 
serve your, integrity of character in doing this ; never reckon 
the cost. 

SS11. Remember that self-interest is more likely to warp 
your judgment than all other circumstances combined ; there- 
fore look well to your duty when your duty is concerned. 



3818. Never make money at the expense of your reputation. 

3819. Be neither lavish nor niggardly; of the two avoid the 
latter. A mean man is universally despised ; but public 
favor is a stepping-stone to preferment — therefore generous 
feelings should be cultivated. 

3880. Let your expenses be such as to leave a balance in 
your pocket. Ready money is a friend in need. 

3881. Keep clear of the law; for when you gain your case, 
you are generally a loser of money. 



3882. Never relate your misfortunes, and never grieve over 
what you cannot prevent. 



3883. No man who owes as much as he can pay, has any 
moral right to endorse for another. 



3884. No moneyed man has the moral right to enter on en- 
gagements or speculations, hazarding his estate, without the 
consent of his wife. 

~* 

3885. Knowing that the end of life is death, every right- 



FAMILY TOOL-CHEST, PAPERS, ETC. 633 

minded man ought to pursue that which is connected with 
happiness and ultimate bliss. 



3886. Family Tool Chests, Papers, etc. — Much inconveni- 
ence and considerable expense might be saved, if it was the 
general custom to keep in every house certain tools for the 
purpose of performing at home what are called small jobs, in- 
stead of being always obliged to send for a mechanic, and pay 
him for executing little things that, in most cases, could be 
sufficiently well done by a man or boy belonging to the family, 
provided that the proper instruments were at hand. 



888T. The cost of these articles is very trifling, and the 
advantages of having them always in the house are far beyond 
the expense. 

3888. For instance, there should be an axe, a hatchet, a 
saw (a large wood-saw, also, with a buck or stand, if wood is 
burned), a claw-hammer, a mallet, two gimlets of different 
sizes, two screw-drivers, a chisel, a small plane, one or two 
jack-knives, a pair of large scissors or shears, and a carpet- 
fork or stretcher. ' 

3889. Also an assortment of nails of various sizes, from 
large spikes down to small tacks, not forgetting brass-headed 
nails, some larger and some smaller. 



3890. Screws, likewise, will be found to be very convenient, 
and hooks on which to hang things. 

3891. The nails and screws should be kept in a wooden box, 
made with divisions to separate the various sorts, for it is very 
troublesome to have them mixed. 



3892. And let care be taken to keep up the supply, lest it 
should run out unexpectedly, and the deficiency cause delay 
and inconvenience at a time when their use is wanted. 



3893. It is well to have somewhere, in the lower part of the 
house, a deep, light closet, appropriated entirely to tools and 
things of equal utility, for executing promptly such little re- 



684 3iss. hale's receipts for the million. 

pairs as convenience may require, without the delay or expense 
of procuring an artisan. This closet should have at least one 
large shelf, and that about three feet from the floor. 



3894. Beneath this shelf may be a deep drawer, divided into 
two compartments. This drawer may contain cakes of glue, 
pieces of chalk, and balls of twine of different size and quality. 



3895. There may be shelves at the sides of the closet for 
glue-pots, paste-pots, and brushes, pots for black, white, green, 
and red paints, cans of painting oil, paint-brushes, &c. 



3896. Against the wall, above the large shelf, let the tools 
be suspended, or laid across nails or hooks of proper size to 
support them. 

3897. This is much better than keeping them in a box, 
where they may be injured by rubbing against each other, and 
the hand may be hurt in feeling among them to find the thing 
that is wanted. 

3898. But when hung up against the back wall of the closet, 
of conrse each tool can be seen at a glance. 



3899. "Wrapping paper may be piled on the floor under the 
large shelf. It can be bought very low by the ream, at the 
large paper warehouses ; and every house should keep a supply 
of it in several varieties. 



3900. For instance, coarse brown paper for common pur- 
poses, that denominated ironmonger's paper, which is strong, 
thick, and in large sheets, is useful for packing heavy articles ; 
and equally so for keeping silks, ribbons, blondes, &c., as it 
preserves their colors. 



3901. Printed papers are nnfit for wrapping any thing, as 
the printing ink rubs off on the articles enclosed in them and 
also soils the gloves of the person who carries the parcel. 



3902. When shopping, if the person at the counter proceeds 
to wrap up your purchase in a newspaper (a thing rarely 
attemDted in a genteel shop), refuse to take it in suck a cover. 



HOME INDUSTRY. 635 

3903. It is the business of every respectable shopkeeper to 
provide proper paper for this purpose ; and printed paper is 
not proper. 

3904. Waste newspapers had best be used for lighting fires 
and singing poultry. 

3905. Waste paper that has been written on, cut into slips, 
and creased and folded, makes very good alumettes or lamp- 
lighters. These matters may appear of tri'fling importance, 
but order and regularity are necessary to happiness. 



3906. A 3Iiniature Tool Box for little boys is one of the 
best playthings which can be given them. These can be 
found at the toy-shops. 



HOME INDUSTRY FOR YOUNG LADIES. 

3907. Dress-making. — When you are about to commence a 
dress, have the following things in a basket or box at your 
hand, viz : sewing silk the color of the dress, one or two reels 
of cotton, fine and coarse, a pair of scissors, not small, a penny 
inch measure — you can procure one at a trimming shop. 



3908. Do not cut without a measure, and always measure 
all that you have bought or have given you for a dress, before 
you begin to cut. 

3909. The number of yards required depend on the width 
of the material. Ten yards of any material, eighteen inches 
wide, will make a dress for a moderate-sized person, with full 
body, but no trimming on the skirt. 



3910. Cut your plain skirt off the piece first, body and 
sleeves after ; leave your trimmings to the last; large turnings 
are bad and waste the stuff ; measure carefully and cut exact. 

3911. Six yards of J^rench merino, or any other material 
of that width, will be found sufficient. 

3912. In cutting off the skirt, if the length, we will suppose, 



MRa, HALHB RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLIOX. 

should be forty-two or forty-six inches long, leave four inches 
more for the hem and turnings at the top. 

S913. Cut the lining for the skirt exact to the material, and 
mind it fits when finished. 



3914. Supposing you to have run the seams of the skirt and 
the seams of your lining, lay^he lining on the table, placing 
the skirt on top, and then tack the seams of your skirt to the 
liaing. • 

8915. Begin at the first seam, and gradually go on to the 
last seam ; stitch up three pieces together, and fell over the 
fourth ; having done this, hem the bottom. Unless your hem 
is tacked or pinned, it will be sure to be on the twist and set 
badly. 

8916. Having done this, run on your braid, which must be 
put on easy or rather full. Attend to this, or you will spoil 
the set of the skirt. If the skirt is to have flounces, they must 
be put on before you gauge the top ; and while the skirt is on 
the table, put a white tacking thread round the skirt where 
each flounce is to be fixed. 



8917. Waist or Body. — All thin figures ought to wear full 
bodies ; with stout persons it is a matter of taste. Plain 
bodies require more care in making than full ones. Every 
amall imperfection is seen in plain bodies. 



8918. Care and judgment are necessary in fitting the back 
,of the dress over the shoulders j or you will look round-shoul- 
.d(sred. 

8919. The fault is, usually, in cutting the back of the dress 
too long; in fitting, pull the fore-body over the shoulder, and 
ehorten the back at the top, till it fits neatly. 

8920. If you have no paper pattern that fits, unpick half an 
old body that suits you ; lay your new lining on your cut- 
ting board (the top of a candle-box, or any smooth board 
of sufficient width, will answer to hold in your lap, and is more 
eonvcnient than standing over a bed or table), put the old 



HOME IITDUSTRY. 6^*1 

body on top of it, and, with the sharp point of a pair of scfe- 
Bors, prick through both, in the old seams of the pattern. 



3921. Prick them welly as the marks are apt to rub out. 
Tack all the body well in the holes round it, before you 
begin, and be very careful to stitch your body to the tacking 
thread. 



8922. Plain bodies require more care in making than full 
ones ; any small imperfection is seen in plain bodies. 

3923. Five out of six persons have their dresses made too 
tight across the chest ; it is a sad fault. Any lady once wear- 
ing an easy dress, would never go back to a tight one ; to say 
nothing of its being healthy and beautiful. 



3924. Do not select a very stout body lining ; it is a com- 
mon mistake. A stout lining prevents the dress giving or 
setting to the figure, and is no stronger than one of moderate 
quality. French dressmakers exclaim at the bad shapes so 
commonly seen in this country, and charge them to this cause 
in a great measure. For a white dress, lawn, cambric, chintz, 
or silk — bleached muslin, at twelve and a half cents a yard, is 
good enough. For dark merinos, or cashmeres, some prefer 
dark twilled stuffs. 

3925. A yard of lining is the proper quantity for a close 
dress, a yard and a half for a basque or jacket. Sleeve lin- 
ings should always be of a thin material. 



3926. Great care must be taken with the armholes ; do not 
make them too large or too small ; thirteen inches is a nico 
size for a person not more than twenty-four inches in tlio 
waist ; fourteen inches is a large size, only required for stout 
persons. 

392T. If you have to alter the armhole, never do it under 
the arm ; in nine cases out of ten it will spoil the dress, and 
it takes away the free use of the arm ; a very small piece cut 
off round the armhole, excepting underneath, will be all that 
Is necessary. 



638 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

3928. Do not forget your sleeves must be larger than the 
armhole an inch and a half; when put in, it never looks the 
least full, and sets better. The seam of your sleeve must not 
be even with the seam of your body, but half an inch in front 
of it. 

3929. In cording the neck, do not stretch it ; hold the cord 

tight. The waist must, on the contrary, be pulled well when 
the cord is put on, or it will never fit ; it requires much stretch- 
ing. The fit of the body often depends on the finishing.' 



3930. All full bodies are made with quite a straight piece 
of material, twenty inches long, and eighteen wide ; this is 
half the front ; gather it straight at the bottom, and then place 
it on your tight lining ; fix it firmly, and then gather it at the 
shoulder ; but mind and do the bottom gauging first. 



8931. To make a body with folds, still have your material 
twenty inches long, and nineteen wide ; the selvage must 
reach from waist to shoulder. 



3932. In putting folds on a body, let it be on the straight, 
or a good cross ; don't let it be neither one nor the other, 
which is too frequently the case, and always will, as a matter 
of course, set badly. It makes the folds set better to cover 
over half the body lining with a plain piece of the dress, as 
you would wear a stomacher, and then place your folds to 
meet it, so that a folded body will be in two pieces, the plain 
part put on first, and the folds after. 



3933. A French dressmaker uses little or no hone — that is, 
the splints are so thin as to bend and give to the outline, and 
to every motion of the figure. The fit should not be made to 
depend on a stiff fencing of whalebone, the thickness of an old- 
fashioned busk. If it does not fit nicely without any bone, it 
never will fit T^ith. This is true of low-bodied evening dresses 
in particular, the only dresses which at present have long 
points to the bodice. 

3934. The basque, properly speaking, is the short skirt or 
flap, of the body. They require a paper pattern, which can 



HOME INDUSTRY. 639 

be furnisned to any distance by those establishments who 
make patterns a business. There are several such in New York 
and Philadelphia. 

3935. It is a good plan to fit the jacket lining to the figure 
first, before you cut into the material. They should always 
be left loose to the figure ; the whole effect being destroyed 
if any seams are drawn tight. 



3936. Flounces. — It will take the same quantity of material 
if cut either on the straight or the cross. It is a common 
error to suppose they take more on the cross. 



393T. For the fullness of a flounce allow one width on the 
cross to one width on the straight of your skirt ; so that if you 
have six widths in your skirts, you will have six widths in 
your flounces on the cross. 



3938. If there are three flounces of different widths, let the 
bottom and widest one have the most fullness ; three, inches 
more fullness will be sufficient. If the flounces are on the 
straight, allow eight widths in the flounce to six widths in the 
skirt. ^ 

3939. A smallcord run in at the top of the flounce makes 
it look neat. Before running the cord in your flounce, join it 
round the exact size of the skirt ; join round likewise your 
flounces, and full them on the cord as you go on. 



3940. Halve and quarter your flounces and also the skirt, 
and you will find them no trouble to put on. 



3941. Sleeves. — In making sleeves, with one good pattern, 
strange as it may seem, you can very easily make six different 
fashions by cutting' your sleeve a little longer or a little 
shorter, and putting on different trimmings, by making some 
in a band at the wrist, or leaving them loose, by trimming the 
loose sleeves on the back or fore part of the arm. 

3942. The same shape is, by a dressmaker, altered in the 
manner I describe, and with a little observation, I think, can 
bo done. 



640 MRS. HALES RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

3943. Try and procure a good pattern at first. With taste, 
one pattern can be made to look like six. 



3944. A trimming on the top of the sleeve is a great im- 
provement to thin persons. It should match the bottom part 
of the sleeve and body-trimming. 



3945. Two out of every three American women have one 
shoulder larger than the other, from stooping in the school- 
room, or the early care of children. 



3946. A light layer of cotton on the lining of the opposite 
shoulder, and covered with the same material, will often con- 
ceal, or at least soften this unpleasant defect. 



3947. Trimmings down the front of a dress when on the 
cross, should be cut the same as flounces. In trimming the 
front of a skirt, it is a good plan to cut a paper the length of 
the skirt, and pin it on the way you intend to trim, and then 
tack a tacking thread by it. 



3948. Put tackings wherever you mean to trim, before you 
begin trimming, and lay your skirt on a table to do it ; put 
on all trimmings with a light hand ; do not sew them as you 
would a shirt, it gives them a puckered look. Now mind, a 
good cross ; no attempts at making pieces do, unless they are 
good corner pieces, that will join well ; you are more sure 
of making a trimming well if cut all from one piece. 



3949. Before cutting a skirt off that you wish to put tucks 
in, have a piece of lining or calico at hand, pin the tucks in it 
as you wish to put them in your skirt. 

As a general rule, a tucked skirt takes more than a flounced 
one, and makes less show for the quantity of material used 



PETS — CAXARTES. (^41 



PETS. 

Canaries, (see p, 1Y5) and other Birds. 



3950. Canaries become delicate and feeble from improper 
treatment. Their docility, beautiful plumage, and sweetness 
of notes render them general favorites. When young, feed on 
a paste made by bruising rape-seed, blowing the chaff away, 
mixed with pieces of bread powdered. Give a teaspoonful 
with a little hard egg and a few drops of water, when turning 
sour, mix fresh. Add, a-s they grow older, scalded rape-seed 
without bruising, chopped almond and chickweed, in hot wea- 
ther, twice a day. 

3951. If sick, give milk of hemp-seed, made by bruising 
clean seed and straining it through linen into water, taking 
the water-glass away from the sick. As they advance in age, 
give rape and canary, and occasionally bruised hemp-seed, 
taking the soft food away by degrees. Cuttle-fish bone is pre- 
ferable to loaf-sugar. Cakes, apples, berries, bread soaked, 
the water squeezed out and milk added, are good, and cabbage 
occasionally, when in season, is excellent. 



3952. Perches should be round and strong without crevices 
or shoulders for insects to breed or harbor, and every corner 
of the cage should be brushed out and kept thoroughly clean. 



3953. Theclaivs are sometimes so long as to occasion acci- 
dents by catching in the wires; in which case trim them. 
Mortar placed in the cage facilitates the production of eggs. 



3954. Teach singing by separating the bird from the others, 
so that he may hear no singing, cover his cage for a few days 
with a thin cloth, then play your flageolet or bird organ seve- 
ral times each day, without harshness. At the end of fifteen 
days, change the thin cloth for a thick green or red serge, and 
keep covered till perfect in the air you wish to teach. Feed 
once a day and night. It is better to teach one good tune well 
than several imperfectly. The bird will copy all imperfections. 
Bad or dull singers are improved by hearing the more spirited 
and perfect. 
41 



C42 NRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

8955. Surfeit indicated by swelling of lower part of body, 
and occasioned by too much chickweed, salad, or soft food. 
Put alum in the water for three or four days, or put a rusty 
nail in the water, or common salt. Put the bird, if bad, in 
lukewarm milk a few minutes, then wash with water, wipe and 
dry gently. 

3956. Sick birds may have boiled bread and milk vrith ca- 
nary seed boiled in it ; lettuce seed ; and w^hen moulting, or 
renewing its feathers, indicated by drooping, putting its head 
under its wing, dropping small feathers, give nourishing food, 
as hemp-seed, sponge, biscuit, &c., keep warm and quiet, and 
keep much in the sun. A cold air or draft is injurious. Put 
in the water a little refined liquorice. 



395*7. American Yellow Bird. — Beautiful plumage and fine 
song. They are hardy, and the cage should be often hung out. 
Give plenty of water, gravel, rich oily seeds, with occasional 
sunflower and lettuce seeds; leaves of beet, salad, apples, and 
other fruits. 

Gold Finch. — Treat similar to American yellow bird. 



3958. Bullfinches. — Old birds should be fed with German 
Paste, No. 2, and occasionally rape-seed. The Germans oc- 
casionally give them a little poppy-seed, and a grain or two of 
rice, steeped in canary wine, when teaching them to pipe, as a 
reward for the progress they make. Bird organs or flageolets, 
are used to teach them. 



3959. Cardinal Grosbeak. — Of splendid plumage and ex- 
quisite song. They are hardy and may be kept without fire in 
a room most of the winter, except in the northern States. 
Allow frequent air and sun. Feed on rough unhuUed rice and 
hemp, w^heat, brown gravel, cracked corn, and millet occasion- 
ally, with plenty of water for bathing. These birds are long 
lived ; the Philadelphia Museum having one which died when 
twenty-one years old, . 

3960. Java Sparrow. — Very delicate, with pretty plumage, 
but little music. Feed on unhulled rice and canary seed, with 
plenty of brown gravel. 



PETS — ORIOLES — MOCKING BIRDS. G43 

3961. Purple Finch or Linnet. — A delightful songster. 
Give canary, hemp, millet, and sunflower seeds, with juniper 
and cedar-berries through the winter, salad and beet-tops in 
summer. Any other of the Finch tribe may be fed on seeds gen- 
erally, as the preceding. Perfect cleanliness of the cage, and 
a constant supply of fresh water and gravel are essential. 



3962. Baltimore Oriole. — A bird of delightful plumage, 
and rich brilliant music, well repaying the utmost care. They 
eat fruit of all kinds, seeds, insects, &c. Give them a large 
cage, protection from frost, and* an abundance of insects. 
Rear same as mocking bird. 

Emt India Oriole. — Possesses greater musical powers, and 
is to be treated same as the Baltimore. 



3963. American 3Ioching Bird. — The sweet " bird of many 
voices, ^^ imitating almost every variety of notes and sounds 
imaginable. Feed regularly every morning with Indian meal 
mixed with milk, not very stiff. Give wild cherries, dedar, 
elder, poke, and whortleberries. An occasional ^gg, boiled 
hard and grated; a little raw minced beef; water for washing 
as well as drink, with plenty of insects, grasshoppers, spiders, 
particularly during moulting, when they should be kept quiet 
and away from cold drafts of air. 



3964. Regular feeding \s> \m'poYi2^Vii. Adopt a regular hour, 
say eight o'clock in the morning for feeding and watering, and 
strictly adhere to it. 

If sickly, treat kindly, give spiders daily, and meal-worms; 
gravel the bottom of the cage and keep very quiet. 

The male has a regular line of white feathers in the wing, 
forming almost a regular curve from tip to shoulder. 



3965. American Eohin. — Sprightly, beautiful, and musical. 
Treat similar to mockino; bird. 



3966. Reed Bird or Bob-o-link. — Is apt to die in INTovember, 
if too well fed. Give oats, bucWheat, and canary seed, and 
abundant water for bathing. At other seasons feed same in- 
discriminately, as the Finch tribe. 



3967. Chickweed or sahul, which in proper season is excel- 



644 MRS. hale's receipts for the million 

lent, are absolutely poison if given too early, before the 
bitterness is oif, and the cold acrid juices are dissipated by the 
sun. 

Insects from Bird-cages, Draivers, &c. — To keep away 
insects from birds' eyes, suspend a little bag of sulphur in 
the cage. This is said to be healthful for birds generally, 
as well as serving to keep away insects by which they become 
infested. 

3968. Aviaries. — The aviary must face the south or west; 
the ground within may be covered with fine turf, and divided 
by gravel walks. The evergreens planted inside are, phyl- 
lerca, holly, laurel, Portugal laurel, lauristinus, yew, box, and 
furze. The building should be principally wire, and open to 
the air, but there should be wings on either side, protected by 
a roof of wood or glass. In putting goldfinches, linnets, and 
canaries in an aviary for the purpose of breeding, the males 
of the two former should be put in with hen canaries as the 
male birds of the wild species will mate only with canaries. 
Two or three male canaries may be put amongst them, as the 
young male birds will learn some of the canaries' notes. 



3969. Gold'fisJi. — Great care must be taken of gold-fish, as 
they are very susceptible; and hence a loud noise, strong 
smell, violent or even slight shaking of the vessel, will ofttimes 
destroy them. 

3970. Food for Gold-fish. — Foreign vermicelli, in minute 
portions, given at intervals of two or three days, is the very 
best aliment for gold-fish. A frequent cause of their death is 
injudicious food, and too much of it ; bread kills them, and 
biscuit is scarcely to be trusted, because the materials of which 
it is composed are not always pure. Water contains so much 
nourishment, that if it be changed every day, little food need 
be given in addition. The most proper situation for a globe 
of fish is near a window, but not in the direct rays of the sun. 



397 1. Squirrels. — In a domestic state these little animals 
are fed with hazel nuts, or indeed any kind of nuts ; and occa- 
sionally bread and milk. They should be kept very clean. 



3972. Birdlime. — Take any quantity of linseed oil, say half 



PETS — GOLD-FISH — DOGS. G45 

a pint; pat it into an old pot, or any vessel that will stand 
tlie fire without breaking ; the vessel must not be more than 
one-third full, put it on a slow fire, stir it occasionally until it 
thickens as mubh as required ; this will be known by cooling 
the stick in water, and trying it with the fingers. It is best 
to make it rather harder than for use. Then pour it into cold 
w^ater. It can be brought back to the consistency required 
with a little Archano-el tar. 



3913. Pet Dogs should never be washed with soap. They 
should be washed with beaten eggs, and afterward washed 
with warm water. The best way to keep a dog healthy is to let 
him have plenty of exercise, and not to over-feed him. 



3974. Drink.— Jj^i them at all times have a plentiful sup- 
ply of clean water, and encourage them to take to swimming, 
as it assists their cleanliness. 

Washing. — When you wash them do not use a particle 
t)f soap, or you will prevent their licking themselves, and they 
may become habitually dirty. 



3915, Feeding. — Properly-treated dogs, should- be fed only 
once a day. Meat boiled for dogs and the liquor in which it 
is boiled, .thickened with barley-meal, or oatmeal, forms capi- 
tal food. 

3916. Sickness. — The distemper is liable to attack dogs from 
four months to four years old. It prevails most in spring and 
autumn. The disease is known by dulness of the eye, husky 
cough, shivering, loss of appetite and spirits, and fits. When 
fits occur, the dog will most likely die, unless a veterinary sur- 
geon is called in. 

3911. Remedies. — During the distemper, dogs should be al- 
lowed to run on the grass ; their diet should be spare ; and*a little 
sulphur be placed in their water. Chemists who dispense cattle 
medicines can generally advise with sufficient safety upon the 
diseases of dogs, and it is best for unskillful persons to abstain 
from physicking them. 

3918. Hydrophobia — Hydrophobia is the most dreadful of 



646 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

all diseases. The first symptoms are attended by thirst, fever, 
and languor. The dog starts convulsively in his sleep, and 
when awake, though restless, is languid. ^ 



89 Y 9. Treatment — ^When a dog is suspected, he should be 
firmly chained in a place where neither children nor dogs nor 
cats can get near him. Any one going to attend him should 
wear thick leather gloves, and proceed with great caution. 
When a dog snaps savagely at an imaginary object, it is almost 
a certain indication of madness ; and when it exhibits a terror 
of fluids, it is confirmed hydrophobia. 



3980. Music,' — Some dogs exhibit a great dislike of musi- 
cal sounds, and when this is the case they are too frequently 
made sport of. But it is dangerous sport, as dogs have some- 
times been driven mad by it. In many diseases dogs will be 
benefitted by warm baths. 



8981. 3Iange. — The mange is a contagious disease, which 
is difficult to get rid of when once contracted. The best way 
is to apply to a veterinary chemist for an ointment, and to 
keep applying it for some time after the disease has disap- 
peared, or it will break out again. 



8982. Cats. — It is generally supposed that cats are more 
attached to places than to individuals, but this is an error. 
They obstinately cling to certain places, because it is there they 
expect to see the persons to whom they are attached. A cat 
will return to an empty house, and remain in it many weeks. 
But, when at last she finds that the family does not return, she - 
strays away, and if she chances then to find the family, she will 
abide with them. 

8983. Rules, &c.' — The same rules of feeding which apply 
to dogs apply also to cats. They should not be over-fed, nor 
too frequently. Cats are liable to the same diseases as dogs ; 
though they do not become ill so frequently. A little brimstone 
in their milk occasionally, is a good preventive. The veteri- 
nary chemist will also prescribe for the serious diseases of 
cats. 



SWIMMING. 64T 



SWIMMING. 

3984. The art of swimming is, in fact, very easy, and those 
persons who take the few brief hints we are about to offer, will 
soon find themselves rewarded by complete success. 



3985. The first consideration is not to attempt to learn to 
swim too soon. That is, you must not expect to succeed in 
your efforts to swim until you have become accustomed to the 
water, and have overcome your repugnance to the coldness 
and novelty of bathing. Every attempt will fail until you 
have acquired a certain confidence in the water, and then the 
difficulty will soon vanish. 



3986. Dr. Franklin''s Advice to Swimmers. — ^' The only 
obstacle to improvement in this necessary and life-preserving 
art, is fear ; and it is only by overcoming this timidity that 
you can expect to become a master of the following acquire- 
ments. 

398t. It is very common for novices in the art of swimming 
to make use of corks or bladders to assist in keeping the body 
above water ; some have utterly condemned the use of them ; 
however, they may be of service for supporting the body, while 
one is learning what is called the stroke, or that manner of 
drawing in and striking out the hands and feet, that is neces- 
sary to produce progressive motion 

3988. The practice I mean is this: choosing a place where 
the water deepens gradually, walk coolly into it till it is up to 
your breast ; then turn round your face to the shore, and throw 
an -egg into the water between you and the shore ; it will sink 
to the bottom, and be easily seen there if the water is clean. 



3989. It must lie in the water so deep that you cannot 
reach to take it up but by diving for it. 



3990. To encourage yourself, in order to do this, reflect that 
your progress will be from deep to shallow wdter, and that at 



048 MRS. HALE S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

any time you may, by bringing your legs under you, and stand- 
ing on the bottom, raise your head far above the water ; then 
phinge under with your eyes open, which must be kept open 
before going under, as you cannot open the eyelids for the 
weight of water above you ; throwing yourself toward the egg^ 
and endeavoring, by the action of your hands and feet against 
the water, to get forward till within reach of it. In this 
attempt you will find that the water buoys you up against 
your inclination ; that it is not so easy to sink as you imagine ; 
and that you cannot, but by active force get down to the egg. 



3991. Thus you feel the power of water to support you, 
and learn to confide in that power while your endeavors to 
overcome it and reach the egg, teach you the manner of act- 
ing on the water with your feet and hands, which action is 
afterward used in swimming to support your head higher above 
the water, or to go forward through it. 



3992. The exercise of swimming is one of the most healthy 
and agreeable in the world. 



3993. Let every boy and girl, if possible, be taught this 
healthful and life-preserving art. 



3994. Life-Belts,^— An excellent and cheap life-belt, for 
persons proceeding to sea, bathing in dangerous places, or 
learning to swim, may be thus made : — 



3995. Take a yard and three-quarters of strong jean, 
double and divide it into nine compartments. Let there be a 
space of two inches after each third compartment. 



3996. Fill the compartments with- very fine cuttings of cork, 
which may be made by cutting up old corks, or (still better) 
purchased at the cork-cutters. 



3991. Work eyelet-holes at the bottom of each compart- 
ment to let the water drain out. 



3998. Attach a neck-band and waist strings of stout boot- 
web, and sew them on strongly. 



SWIMMING. 6 49 

3999. Another. — Cat open an old boa, or victorine, and 
line it with fine cork-cuttings instead of wool. 



4000. For ladies going to sea these are excellent, as they 
may be worn in stormy weather, without giving appearance 
of alarm in danger. They may be fastened to the body by 
ribands or tapes, of the color of the fur. Gentlemen's waist- 
coats may be lined the same way. 



4001. Rules to Govern Persons who have Fallen into Deep 
Wafer. — 1. As soon as you find yourself at the surface, whither 
you are raised by your buoyancy, let your body quickly take 
its level, when the water will reach a little above your chin. 



4002. 2. Place one leg a little forward, the other a little 
backward, and stretch out your arms on either side under the 
water. By a slight paddling motion you may regulate the 
position of your head, and keep the mouth and nose above the 
surface of the surrounding fluid. Make no efforts, but wait 
tranquilly until succor arrives. You cannot sink. 



4003. 3. Do not lay hold of your companion or assistant, or 
you will infallibly sink him without benefiting yourself. The 
best swimmer has no more natural buoyancy than you, and 
would be sunk by the exertion of very little force. 



4004. 4. Remain perfectly passive till your helper seizes you 
by the hair. Upon this endeavor to second his efforts by 
throwing yourself on your back. Hold your neck stiff, and 
let the back of your head sink into the water. Try to propel 
yourself at this stage by regularly and slowly kicking against 
the water. 

4005. 5. Be careful to keep every part of your body except 
your face under the water. 6. If two or more persons are 
immersed together, let them keep near to each other. By this 
means one boat may save the whole party at once ; but if they 
are dispersed, one at a time only can be picked up. 



4006. Rales to Govern Persons who Attempt to Bescue the 
Drowning. — 1. In removing a body from the water, whether 



'650 MRS. HALE'g RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

into a boat or drawing it along by your own efforts, always 
keep the face upward. 

400T. 2. Recollect that you have no raore buoyancy than 
the person you are attempting to rescue. Therefore do not 
attempt to raise him out of the water, or you will sink. By a 
gentle traction, you may draw him toward the boat or landing- 
place without fatigue or danger. 



4008. 3. Always aim at seizing the hind hair of the head, 
and keep the nape of the neck and your own arm under the 
water. Thus you will insure his face and your own being 
above the surface. 

4009. 4. Keep your most powerful arm disengaged for 
swimming, and maintain the other projected forward, liaving 
hold, as directed, by the hind hair of the head. In this way 
you may advance side by side, he floating on his back, and 
you on your breast. 

4010. 5. As you approach the person distressed, let hira 
know by your voice ; the prospect of his speedy succor will 
add to his confidence and strength. 

4011. 6. Let all your movements be deliberate, firm, and 
gentle. 

4012. 1, Hold the hat reversed in both handwS, the arms and 
hands of course under water. If a person has presence of 
mind to accomplish this, the hat will by its buoyancy afford 
him great assistance, until it becomes saturated and admits 
the water. 

4013. Biding. — To ride w^ell on horseback is a healthful 
and very graceful accomplishment for a lady or gentleman. 



4014. Dress. — The lady's riding dress should be of a 
material that rain will not spoil, made to fit easily, and by no 
means tight. 

4015. The length should not exceed an ordinary dress more 
than fvom fourteen to eighteen inches. 



RIDING. 651 

4016. To keep the front of the dress down, sew small 
quantities of shot in bits of muslin, tack these around the in- 
side of the front breadth of the skirt, at equal distances. 



401^. The Eat or cap should be as light as possible. Tie 
on securely. 

4018. Have no loose ribbons or strings flying about your 
cap or dress to frighten the horses. 



4019. Fasten your hair up securely, and do not blind your 
eyes with curls. 

4020. Gloves should be of a kind that will permit you to 
handle the reins easily. 



4021. Ride slowly. — The true secret of learning to ride well 
is to ride slowly. 

4022. Always ride slowly when you start, and when re- 
turning, you are near home. 



4023. Ride slowly up hill and down hill. Let. the reins be 
slack when ascending ; tighten them as you descend. 



4024. Speak gently to your horse ; pat his neck, and show 
kindness to him ; it is the surest and safest mode of manage- 
ment. 

4025. In crossing a river, if the horse should have to swim, 
be sure to let the rains fall loose. Do not attempt to hold up 
his head, he cannot swim if you do. 



4026. On luhich side of a lady should a gentleman ride ? — 
is often asked. 

4021. On the left. — He can then protect and assist the lady 
much more advantageously than he would if riding on the 
right side of her horse. 



4028. A lady^s horse should be fifteen or fifteen and a half 
bauds high. A hand is four inches. 



653 MRS. HALE 8 RECEIPTS FOR THS JtlLLIOy. 

4029. How to judge a Horse. — If the color be light sorrel, 
or chestnut, his feet, legs, and face white, these are marks of 
kindness. 

4030. If he is broad and fall between the eyes, ne may be 
depended on as a horse of good sense, and capable of being 
trained to any thing. 

4031. As respects snch horses, the more kindly yon treat 
them the better you will be treated in return. Nor will a 
horse of this description stand a whip, if well fed. 



4032. If you want a safe horse, avoid one that is dish-faced. 
He may be so far gentle as not to scare ; but he will have too 
much go-ahead in him to be safe with everybody. 



4033. If you want one that will never give out, never buy 
a large, overgrown one. — (See pages 198, 199.) 



HOME COUNSELS. 

4034. Prudence. — The great end of prudence is to give 
cheerfulness to those hours which splendor cannot gild, and 
acclamation cannot exhilarate. 



4035. To he happy at home is the ultimate resolt of all 
ambition ; the end to which every enterprise and labor tends, 
and of which every desire prompts the prosecution. 



4036. It is indeed, at home that every man and woman 
must be known, by those who would make a just estimate of 
his virtue or felicity ; for smiles and embroidery are alike, 
occasional, and the mind is often dressed for show in painted 
honor and fictitious benevolence. — Dr. Johns'^n. 



403Y. Beading aloud, speaking, and particularly singing, 
affords a healthful exercise ; while wind-in strnraents are in- 
jurious. 



HOKE COrXSELS. 653 

4038. To young ladies the babit of reading aloud has much 
to recommend it. 

4039. As mere exercise, it is highly beneficial on account 
of the strength and vigor which it confers on the chest and 
lungs; while the mental pleasure derived therefrom is one of 
the most delightful that can adorn the family circle. 



4040. Gathered around the winter's fire, or evening lamp, 
what could be more cheerful for the aged and infirm, what 
more instructive to the younger branches, or more exemplary 
to the careless, than the reading aloud of some entertaining 
author. 

4041. Were females of all ranks to adopt the practice more 
than they do at present, they would bind to their homes many 
who are disposed to go in search of unworthy enjoyments, and 
would add another chain of delightful associations, wherewith 
to attach the young to the family hearth. 



4042. Fatuity from old age cannot be cured ; but may be 
prevented by employing the mind constantly in reading and in 
conversation in the evening of life. 



4043. A Word to the Toung. — Never be cast down by trifles. 
If a spider breaks his thread twenty times, twenty times will 
he mend it again. 

4044. Make up your minds to do a thing and you will do 
it. Fear not if a trouble comes upon you ; keep up your 
spirits, though the day be a dark one 



4045. If the sun is going down, Iook up to the stars. If 
the earth is dark, keep your eye on Heaven ! With God's 
promises, a man or child may be cheerful 

4046. Mind what you run after ! Xever be content with a 
bubble that will burst, firewood that will end in smoke and 
darkness. _^__ 

404T. Get that which you can keep, and which is worth 
keeping. Fight hard against a hasty temper. Anger will 



654 3HRS. H ale's receipts for the million. 

come, but resist it strongly. A fit of passion may give you 
cause to mourn all the days of your life. 

4048. ]S"ever revenge an injury. If you have an enemy, act 
kindly to him and make him your friend. You may not win 
him over at once, but try again. Let one kindness be followed 
by another, till you have compassed your end. By little and 
little, great things are completed ; and repeated kindness will 
Boften a heart of stone. 



4049. Whatever you do, do it willingly. A boy that is 
whipped to school never learns his lessons well. A man who 
is compelled to work cares not how badly it is performed. 

4050. He that pulls off his coat cheerfully, strips up his 
sleeves in earnest, and sings while he works, is the man of 
action. 

4051. The Voice. — In ordinary conversation, the modula- 
tion and proper management of the voice is a point worthy 
of the attention of young ladies ; for a fine and melodious 
voice, '^ sweet as music on the waters," makes the heart-strings 
vibrate to the very core. 



4052. The thin, small voice is the most difficult to manage, 
as it is liable to degenerate into shrillness ; and ladies who 
have this kind of voice must keep strict guard over their 
temper, when within hearing of any one on whom they may 
wish to make a favorable impression ; for the very idea of a 
shrill-voiced scold makes us place our hands to our ears. 

4053. But with a sweet temper, a pretty little harmonious 
voice is pleasing enough. Always recollect, however, that 
affectation, constraint, or striving for effect, is the certain ruin 
of the prettiest voice in the w^orld. 

4054. Uiility of Singing. — It is asserted, and we believe 
with some truth, that singing is a corrective of the too com- 
mon tendency to pulmonic complaints. 



4055. Dr. Rush, an eminent physician, observes on this 
suliject : — The Germans are seldom afflicted with consumption ; 



SPECTACLES. 655 

and tliis, I believe, is in part occasioned by the strength which 
their lungs acquire by exercising them in vocal music, for this 
constitutes an essential branch of their education. 



4056. The music master of an academy has furnished a re- 
mark still more in favor of this opinion. He had known 
several instances of persons who were strongly disposed to 
consumption, who were restored to health by the exercise of 
their lungs in singing. 



405Y. Music. — Had I children, my utmost endeavor should 
be to teach them music. Considering I have no ear, nor ever 
thought of music, the preference seems odd, and yet it is em- 
braced on frequent reflection. In short, my aim would be to 
make them happy. I think it the most probable method. 



4058. Music is a resource which will last them their lives 
unless they grow deaf; it depends upon themselves, not on 
others ; always amuses and soothes, if not consoles ; and of 
all fashionable pleasures, it is the cheapest. It is capable of 
fame, without the danger of criticism ; is susceptible of en- 
thusiasm, and is sure of being gratified in Heaven. — Horace 
Walpole, 

4059. Spectacles — Use of. — The following rules will enable 
any one to judge whether his eye-sight may be assisted or 
preserved by the use of glasses. 

4060. When we are obliged to remove small objects to a 
distance from the eye to see them distinctly. 

4061. If we need more light than formerly, as, for instance, 
if we place the candle between the eye and the object. 



4062. If, on attentively considering a neat object, it fatigues 
the eye, and becomes confused, or has a kind of mist before it. 



4063. When small printed letters seem to run into each 
other, and, by looking steadfastly on them, appear double o 
treble. 



656 MKS. HALE S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION 

4064. If the eyes are so fatigued by a little exercise, that 
we are obliged to shut them from time to time. 



4065. When these circumstances occur, either separately 
or together, glasses should be immediately resorted to ; other- 
wise the sight will be liable to be injured loy the constant effort 
required. 



PARLOR AMUSEMENTS. 

4066. Riddles, — It may be asked, What is a riddle ? Ah I 
what is it? That's just the rub ! Well, then, it is a queer 
affair, without shape, size, humanity, compassion, breath, or 
sex. It is caressed, abused, courted, slighted, jostled, hustled, 
and, notwithstanding all that is said against it, universally 
looked upon as a welcome guest when it is not in a dull mood. 



406 1. The oldest riddle on record is that put forth by Sam- 
son (Judges xiv.) — '' Out of the eater came forth meat, and 
out of the strong came forth sweetness." His solution is well 
known, as it is explained in the same chapter. 

4068. 31. Voltaii^e's Biddle. — What is the longest, and yet 
the shortest thing in the world ; the swiftest and the most 
slow ; the most divisible and the most extended ; the least 
valued, and the most regretted ; without which nothing can be 
done; which devours every thing, however small, and yet gives 
life and spirit to all things however great? Answer — Time. 



4069. Enigmas may be founded upon simple catches, like 
conundrums, in which form they are usually called Riddles, 
such as — 

*' Though you set me on foot, 
I shall be on my head." 
40t0. The answer is, A nail in a shoe. 



4071. Ancient Enigma. — The ancients fabled a monster 
whom they named the Sphinx, and whom they described as 
having the head and breasts of a woman, the body of a dog, 
the tail of a serpent, the wings of a bird, the paws of a lion, 
and a human voice 



PARLOR AMUSEMENTS. 05*? 

40^2. This monster, it was said, was sent into the neighbor- 
hood of Thebes by Juno, who wished to punish the family of 
Cadmus. It was further stated, that he laid this part of 
Bceotia under continual alarms, by iwopo^ing enigmas^ and 
devouring the inhabitants if unable to explain them. 



40^3. Also, that as the calamity of this monster was become 
an object of public concern, and as the successful explanation 
of an enigma would end in the death of the Sphinx, Creon 
promised his crowu and Jocasta to him. who succeeded in the 
attempt. 

4074. The enigma propose^l was this : — 
'^ What animal in the morning walks on four feet, at noon 
on two, and in the evening on three ?" 



4075. CEdipus solved the enigma. — on which the monster 
dashed his head against a rock, and perished. 

4076. Answer— Man; in the morning, or days of infancy, 
he crawls, or walks on M-fours; at noon, or in the days of 
youth and middle age, he uses two feet only ; in the evening, 
or in his old age, he requires the support of a staff, . so that he 
raay be said to walk upon three feet 



4077. Puzzles vary very much. One of the simplest that 
we know is this : — Take away half of thirteen^ and let eight 
remain. 

4078. Write XIII on a slate, or on a piece of paper — • 
rub out the lower half of the tif>:ures, and VIII will remain. 



4079. What are termed '' practical puzzles'' are cut out of 
wood, cardboard, ivory, &c., and may be purchased at the 
toyshops. 

4080. The three Jealous Husbands. — This is a very ingeni- 
ous puzzle, and should be performed with small counters of 
two different colors. 

4081. Three jealous husbands, with their wives, having to 
42 



658 MRS. HALES RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

cross a small stream, find a boat without an owner, which is 
only sufficiently large to carry two persons at a time. 

4082. Wanted to know, — how the six persons can tr^,nsport 
themselves over the river in pairs, so that no woman shall be left 
in company with any of the men unless her husband is present. 

4083. Ansiver.' — At first two wives cross the river, then one 
returns and takes over the remaining wife ; after which she re- 
crosses, and stays with her husband, and the two husbands 
cross over. Then a husband and wife come back, and the two 
husbands cross. Then the wife returns and takes over one of 
the others, and lastly the husband of the remaining one comes 
back for his wife. 

4084. Arithmetical Puzzle, — Arrange the figures 1 to 9 in 
such order that, by adding them together, they amount to 100. 

15 

36 

41 

It is done thus : — — 

98 
2 

100 



4085. The Charade is a poetical or other composition 
founded upon a word, each syllable of which constitutes a 
noun, and the whole of which word constitutes another noun, 
of somewhat a different meaning from those supplied by its 
separate syllables. 

4086. Words which fully answer these conditions are the 
best for the purposes of charades ; though many other words 
are employed. 

4087. In writing, the first syllable is termed " My first,'^^ 
the second syllable, *' My second,^^ and the complete word, 
** My whole,^^ ^ 

4088. Charade, — 

My first a mineral, England can produce, 
Much prized for ornament as well as use ; 



THE AUTHOR. G59 

It adds new beauty to our '^ cottage homes," 
And to the fireside of the wealthy comes. 

My second is a rough and boisterous thing, 
And much calamity and woe may bring ; 
My whole is but a little fluttering bird, 
Which near to men's abode is often heard. 
4089. Answer. — Sparrow. 



4090. Ventriloquism. — The main secret of ventriloquism 
simply consists in first making a strong and deep inspiration, 
by which a considerable quantity of air is introduced into the 
lungs, to be afterward acted upon by the flexible powers, of the 
larynx, or cavity situated behind the tongue and the windpipe ; 
thus prepared, the expiration should be slow and gradual. 
Any person, by practice can, therefore, obtain more or less 
expertness in this exercise, in which, though not apparently, 
the voice is still modified by the mouth and tongue ; and it is 
in the concealment of this aid that much of the perfection of 
ventriloquism lies. 

4091. Curious Facts. — If a tallow candle be placed in a 
gun and be shot at a door, it will go through without sustain- 
ing any injury ; and if a musket-ball be fired into water, it will 
rebound and be flattened as if fired against any hard substance 



4092. A musket-ball may be fired through a pane of glass, 
and if the glass be suspended by a thread it will make no dif- 
ference, and the thread not even vibrate. 



4093. The Author. — If you would write to any purpose, 
you must be perfectly free from without, in the first place, and 
yet more free from within. 



4094. Give yourself the natural rein ; think on no pattern, 
no patron, no paper, no press, no public ; think on nothing, 
but follow your own impulses. 



4095. Give yourself as you are, what you are, and how you 
see it. Every man sees with his own eyes, or does not see at 
all. This is incontrovertibly true. 



660 MRS. bale's RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

4096. Bring out what you have. If you have nothing, be 
an honest beggar rather than a respectable thief. 

4091. Letter-wHting. — Great care and attention should be 
devoted to epistolatory correspondence, as nothing exhibits 
want of taste and judgment so much as a slovenly letter. 

4098. Postage. — Since the establishment of the cheap 
postage it is recognized as a rule that all letters should be pre- 
paid ; indeed, many persons make it a point of never taking in 
an unpaid letter. 

4099. Always put a stamp on your envelope at the top of 
the right-hand corner. 



4100. Let the direction be written very plain ; this will save 
the postman trouble, and facilitate business by preventing 
mistakes. 

4101. At the head of your letter, in the right-hand corner, 
put your address in full, with the day of the month underneath ; 
do not omit this, though you may be writing to your most in- 
timate friend three or four times a day. 



4102. What you have to say in your letter, say as plainly 
as possible, as if you were speaking ; this is the best rule ; do 
not revert three or four times to one circumstance, but finish 
UD as you go on. 

4103. Let your signature be written as plainly as possible 
(many mistakes will be avoided, especially in writing to 
strangers) and without any flourishes, as they tend not to add 
in any way to the harmony of your letter. 



4104. A letter of introduction is to be enclosed in an un- 
sealed envelope. 

4105. In writing notes of invitation, adhere to the old 
forms, never use any unusual phrase or flourish about it. 

4106. In letters of ceremony employ the third person, thus, 
*^ Mr. B. requests the honor of Mr. A.," &c. 



LETTER-WRITING. 661 

4101. Romantic ladies are sentimental in tlieir letters; the 
warm-toned are passionate: both styles are bad; avoid them. 



4108. Never be guilty of falsehood by the pen ; it is pre- 
meditated sin, and seems worse than falsehood of speech. 



4109. Use no preamble in your letters, come at once to the 
point, state what you have to state, and conclude. 



4110. IN'either sex should enter into long details, or give 
vent to their feelings in letters. They are always a standing 
memorial for, or against — we must say generally against, for 
it requires a peculiar talent to write a good letter. 



4111. If you write to a stranger for information, or on your 
own business, fail not to send a stamped envelope with your 
address, plainly written ; this will not fail to procure you an 
answer. 

4112. If you are not a good writer, it is advisable to use 
the best ink, the best paper, and the best pens, as, though they 
may not alter the character of your handwriting, yet they will 
assist to make your writing look better. 



4113. The paper on which you write should be clean, and 
neatly folded. 

4114. There should not be stains on the envelope ; if other- 
wise, it is only an indication of your own slovenliness. 



4115. Care should be taken in giving titled persons to whom 
you write, their proper directions. 



4116. For a love letter, good paper is indispensable. When 
it can be procured, that of a costly quality, gold-edged, per- 
fumed, or ornamented in the French style, may be properly 
used. 

4111. The letter should be carefully enveloped, and nicely 
sealed with a fancy wafer — not a common one, of course, 
where any other can be had ; or, what is better, plain or fancy 
sealing-wax. As all persons are more or less governed by 



662 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

first impressiofts and externals, the whole affair should be as 
neat and elegant as possible. 

4118. Young ladies should never engage in correspondence 
with young gentlemen who are not near relations, unless with 
the kuovvledge and consent of parents and guardians. 



4119. A young lady should on »o account correspond with 
a married man. 

4120. Letters of business or inquiry may be sometimes 
properly addressed by a young lady to a married man — but 
when a correspondence becomes necessary, then write to the 
wife, not the husband. 



4121. Dress of Children^ etc. — At home nothing can be 
more foolish or more hurtful than to load a child with finery 
which confines it, and which its every movement may destroy 
and spoih When at home or in the play-ground, the simplest 
covering only is necessary, so that it be strong and warm. 



4122. It is a vulgar error to suppose that children should 
be left bare as to their legs, their chest, and arras, and that 
men and women, who are so much stronger, should be covered. 



4123. The truth is, that more children die through the 
stupidity of their parents in this respect, than from any single 
disease which can be mentioned. " , 



4124. ^' I am certain," says a great medical authority, ^' that 
half the deaths of children in the middle and upper classes of 
society is to be attributed to the vanity and ignorance of their 
parents. 

4125. I never see a poor child dressed as a young High- 
lander, or in any fancy dress, with its uncomfortable look and 
naked appearance, its poor bare knees and open neck, but 
I prophecy for that child, whilst I pity, a future of colds, 
coughs, and throat disease, and a probable death of con- 
sumption." 

4126. Another important thing in the dress of children, 
besides keeping them warmly clad, is to keep them well, 



HINTS TO MOTHERS. 663 

though loosely shod. The evils of a tight shoe or boot in a 
grown-up person is ten times multiplied in a child. 

4127. Splay-feet, knock-knees, or bandy-legs, are the con- 
sequence, all of which the ignorant would certainly lay to 
nature, though they are nothing but the production of an art 
as cruel as it is ignorant, and which is entirely contrary to 
beauty of Form, or to Good Taste. 



4128. High Shoulders. — A medical correspondent of an 
English paper attributes the high shoulder and the lateral 
curvature of the spine, which so frequently disfigures young 
girls, to the shoulder straps of their dresses resting below the 
shoulder and on the muscles of the arm, instead of being ou 
the shoulder, which compels the wearer to be constantly 
hitching her shoulders to keep up her dress, an action that 
results in forcing up the shoulder, a distortion of the chest, 
and a lateral curvature of the spine. 



4129. He also states that from the dangerous practice, and 
the consequent exposure of the chest to the cold, that inward 
tubercles, are formed, and not unfrequently consumption is 
engendered. 

4130. Sudden alterations of heat and cold are dangerous 
especially to the young and the aged. 

4131. Therefore, clothing, in quantity and quality, should 
be adapted to the alternations of night and day, and of the 
seasons. 



4132. And therefore^ also, drinking cold water when the 
body is hot, and hot tea and soups when cold, are productive 
of many evils. . 

4133. A bed-room, or nursery, ought to be spacious and 
lofty, dry, airy, and not inhabited during the day. 

4134. No servants, if possible, should be suffered to sleep 
in the same room ; and no linen or washed clothes should ever 
be hung there to dry, as they contaminate the air in which so 
considerable a portion of infantine life must be spent. 



664 3IES. hale's eeceifts for the MTLLIOy. 

4135. The consequences attending a vitiated atmosi:)bere in 

such rooms are various, and often fatal. 



4136. Change of apparel greatly promotes the secretion 
from the skin, so necessary to health. 

4137. But no damp clothing should be worn, nor damp 
linen put on the beds. Every thing should be well aired. 



4138. Feather-beds should be banished from nurseries, as 
they are an unnatural and debilitating contrivance. 

4139. The windows should seldom be opened at night, but 
left open the whole day, in fine, clear weather. A door into 
the sleeping room may be left open. 



4140. Lastly, the bedstead must not be placed too low on 
the floor ; nor is it proper to let children sleep on a couch 
which is made without any elevation from the ground; be- 
cause the most mephitic and pernicious stratum of air in an 
apartment, is that within one or two feet from the floor, while 
the most v>'holesome, or atmospheric air, is in the middle of 
the room, and the inflammable gas ascends to the top. ' 



4141. The power of Kindness. — Soft words soften the 
Boul. — Angry words are fuel to the flame of wrath, and make 
it blaze more freely. 

4142. Kind words make other people good-natured — cold 
words freeze people, and hot words scorch them, and bitter 
words make them bitter, and wrathful words make them 
wrathful. 

4143. There is such a rush of all other kinds of words in 
our days, that it seems desirable to give kind words a chance 
among them. 

4144. There are vain words, and idle words, and hasty 
words, and spiteful words, and silly words, and empty words, 
and profane words, and boisterous words, and warlike words. 



4145. Kind words also produce their own image on men's 



DANCING. 665 

souls, and a beautiful image it is. They sooth, and quiet, 
and comfort the hearer. They shame him out of his sour, and 
morose, and unkind feelings. We have not yet begun to use 
kind words in such abundance as they ought to be used. 



4146. Gossiping. — If you wish to cultivate a gossiping, 
meddling, censorious spirit in your children, be sure when they 
come home from church, a visit, or any other place where you 
do not accompany them, to ply them with questions concerning 
what everybody wore, how everybody looked, and what every- 
body said and did ; and if you find any thing in this to censure, 
always do it in their hearing. 

41 4Y. Amusements for Children. — These should be pro- 
vided. Children must play ; a large portion of their waking 
hours must be passed in action if we would make them healthy 
and happy. 

4148. School and study should not occupy more than three 
hours of the day, till the child is over ten years of age. 



4149. Out door play is best for children when the season 
and weather will permit. 



4150. In door, one of the best exercises for children and 
youth is dancing. 

4151. Let your children learn to dance. 



4152. The abuse of the art can be avoided, and its benefits 



are great. 



4153. Terms used to describe the movements of dances — 



4154. Balancez — Set to partners. 



4155. Chaine Anglaise — Tlie top and bottom couples right 
and left. 

4156. Chaine Anglaise double — The right and left double. 



415t. Chaine des dames — The ladies' chain. 



666 MKS. hale's keceipts fob the illLLIO:^. 

4158. Chaine des dames double — The ladies' chain double, 
which is performed bv all the ladies commenciDg at the same 
time. 

4159. Cha^sez — Move to the right and left. 



4160. Chassez croisez — Gentlemen change places with part- 
ners, and back again. 

4161. Demie Chaine Anglaise — The four opposite persons 
half right and left. 

4ilQ2. Demie Promenade — All eight half promenade. 



4163. Dosd-dos — The two opposite persons pass round 
each other. 

4164. Demie Moulinet — The ladies all advance to the centre, 

giying hands and return to places. 



4165. La grand chaine — All eight chassez quite round, 
giving allernatelv right and left hands to partners, beginning 
with the right. 

4166. Le grand i^ond — All join hands and advance and 
retire twice. 

416t. Fas d^Allemande — The gentlemen turn the partners 
under their arms. 

416B. Traversez — The two opposite persons change places. 



4169. ViS'd'Vis — The opposite partner. 



4110. La GaJopade — Is an extremely graceful and spirited 
dance in a continual chassez. An unlimited number may join ; 
it is danced in couples as waltzing. This is a pretty dance 
for children 



THE TRAININQ OF DAUGnTERS, ETC. 667 



THE TRAINING OF DAUGHTERS, ETC. 

4171. Make them religious ; the foundation of all excellence 
is in true piety of the heart. 

Mothers, who wish not only to discharge well their own 
duties in the domestic circle, but to train up their daugh- 
ters at a later day to make happy and comfortable firesides for 
their families, should watch well, and guard well, the notions 
which they imbibe, and with which they grow up. 



4172. One main falsity abroad in this age is the notion, that 
women, unless compelled to it by absolute poverty, are out of 
place when engaged in domestic affairs. 



4173. Let mothers avoid such danger. If they would do 
so, they must bring up their daughters from the first with the 
idea that in this world it is required to give as well as to 
receive, to minister as well as to enjoy ; that every person is 
bound to be useful, practically, literally useful, in his or her 
sphere. 

4174. Woman''s sphere is the house — her home ; its con- 
cerns and demands : these are her first duties. 



4175. Once really imbued with this belief, and taught to see 
how much the happiness of woman herself, as well as her family, 
depends on this part of her discharge of duty, a young girl 
will usually be anxious to learn all that her mother is disposed 
to teach. 

4176. She will be proud and happy to aid in any domestic 
occupations assigned to her, which need never be made so 
heavy as to interfere with the peculiar duties of her age, or its 
peculiar delights. 

4177. If a mother wishes to see her daughter become a 
good, happy, and rational woman, never let her admit of con- 
tempt for domestic occupations, or even suffer them to be 
deemed secondary. They may be varied in character by 
station, but they can never be secondary to a woman. 



668 MRS. HALES RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

4178. Therefore teach your daughters to keep accounts, so 
that they may learn the value of money. 



4179. Teach them to work, that they may not waste their 
time if rich, nor be helpless if poor 



4180. Teach them cooking, that they may guard against 
the waste of servants, and be able to help themselves and 
others, if necessary. 

4181. Educate the mind, refine the taste, and exalt the 
character, by keeping the love of excellence, in all they do, 
before them. 

4182. Then they will be fitted to shine in domcvstic and 
social life, and to understand Literature, Art, and Science, 
as these conduce to goodness and happiness. 



4183. The Mother at Home. — By the quiet fireside at home, 
the true mother, in the midst of her children, is sowing as in 
the vases of the earth, the seeds of plants that shall some time 
give to Heaven the fragrance of their blossoms, and whose 
fruit shall be to us a rosary of angelic deeds, the noblest offer- 
ing that she can make through the ever ascending and expand- 
ing souls of her children to her Maker. 



4184. Every word that she utters goes from heart to heart 
^ with a power of which she little dreams. Philosophers tell us 

in their speculations that we cannot lift a finger without mov- 
ing distant spheres. 

4185. Solemn is the thought that every word that falls from 
a mother's lip, every expression of her countenance, may leave 
an indelible impress upon the young souls about her, and form 
the underlaying strain of that education which people's Heaven 
with celestial beings, and gives to the white brow of the angel, 
next to the grace of God, its crown of glory. 



4186. Teach your Children Obedience. 
It is unspeakable what a blessing it is to a child, what 
a saving of un happiness and wickedness in after life, to 



SENTIMENTS OF FLOWERS. 669 

be early taught absolute obedience; there must be no hesitat- 
ing or asking why, but what a mother says must at once be 
done. 



418Y. The young twig bends easily, but remember, that in 
after years it grows hard, and will break before you bend it. 
A little steadiness at first will save you many years' sorrow. 



4188. While you insist upon obedience, however, you must 
take care that you do not provoke a child, and tempt it to dis- 
obedience by unreasonable and foolish commands. 



4189. ** Provoke not your children to wrath ;" and when it 
is necessary to punish them, see that it never be done vio- 
lently and in a passion, but as a duty. 

4190. Going in Debt. — A lady should never go in debt, 
unless she is sure of having the means of payment. 

4191. Shopping. — Never gt) shopping for amusement — ^yoa 
rob the shopkeeper of his time and waste your own. 

4192. A young lady oX home can find or make pleasant 
amusements ; one of the most healthful is the study of botany 
or flowers. 

4193. A garden, or rather the fields and woods, will be filled 
with new interest if you love the flowers, and can read their 
history. • 

4194. The language of flowers has been studied and 
arranged by the people of the East. A few specimens of this 
may be admitted here, as an amusement for those who are idle 
or curious. 



SENTIMENTS OF FLOWERS. 

4195. What each flower enumerated signifies when sent to 
a friend or lover. 

4196. Almond y flowering — Concealed love. 



G70 ^'^^' HAJLE's BBCEIPT3 FOR THB lOUJOir. 

419T. AUhea, Fmtex — ^I am deeply in love. 



4198. Amaranth — Immortalitv, or piety. 



4199. Anemone — Fading hope. 



4200. Arbor-Vitw — Unchanging friendship. 



4201. Auricula, Scarlet — ^Pride. Yon are proni 



4202. Bachelor's Bidton—Ko^e in lore. 



4203. Balm — I long for your society. 



4204. Balsamine — Impatieoce ; or, pray come. 



4205. Bay Leaf- — I change bnt in dying. 



4206. Box — I belicTe in yonr constancy. 

J— * 

4207. JSii^fercuj>— ^Riches. Yon are rich. 



4208. Calla Mkiopica — Magnificent beauty. 

4209. Carnation — ^Pride and beanty. 

4210. Camelia Japonica — Surpassing excellence. 



4211. Ce^ar— Think of me. 



4212. China Astar—Csipnce. 



4*213. Cypress — ^Despair, and without hope. 



4214. Dahlia — ^Dignity — I will sustain it 



4215. Daisy — ^Youthful beauty. 



4216. Dandelion — Goquetry, I accuse you of. 



4217. Eglantine — I wound to heal. 



SENimENTS OF FLOWEBS- 611 

4218. Forget-me-not — True love forever. 



4219. Fox-glove — Insincerity. You are false. 



4220. Geranium — Gentility and elegance. 



4221. Gillij' Flower— Thou art fair. 



4222. Golden Rod — Encouragement. You will^ucceed. 



4223. Grass — Submission. 



'4224. HearVs Ease — Love in idleness. 



4225. Heliotrope — Devotion. Let us pray for each other. 



4226. Hellebore — Calumny. You have listened. 
422T. Hollyhock — Ambition. I seek glory. 
4228. Honeysuckle — Dost thou love me ? 



4229. Houstonia — Content ever with thee. 



4230. Hyacinth, Purple — Sorrow. I am sad. 
423 L Hydrangea — Heartlessness. 



4232. Ivy — Wedded love. We are happy. 



4233. Jasmine, White — I desire a return of my affection. 



4234. Larkspur — Haughtiness. 



4235. Laurel — Ambition. I will win. 



4236. Laurustinus — A token. Pray remember 



4237. Lavender — Acknowledgment. 



4238. Lilac — Fastidiousness. 



672 iiKB. Hale's eeceifts foe the inLUOM 

4239. LUy, WTiiie—Vxinij and beauty. 



4240. Magnolia — You are beautifuL 



4241. Marigold — Jealousy — I have cause. 



4242. Mignionetie — I lire for thee. 



4243. Moss — Patience, or pray wait. 



4244. Oak-Leaf — Couracre. I will endure. 



4245. Passion- Flower — Pietv. Trust in God. 



4246. Periwinkle — Memory. Xever forget. 
424T. Pink — Household love. I am at home. 



4248. Poppy — Forgetfulness. 



4249. Primrose — Neglected merit. 



4250. Bose — ^Lotc, or I love you. 



4251. Bue — Disdain. Go : never return. 



4252. Saffron — Marriage — when ? 

4253. Snow-Drop — Faithful in adversity. 

4254. Thyme — Thriftiness. I am diligent 



4255. Tulip — Beautiful eyes. Look on me. 



4256. ViolH — I dream of thee. 



4257. Willow — Forsaken — never more. 



4258. WheaJl — Prosperity — I wish thee. 



4259. Fete — Penitence. I am sorry. 



POISONOUS PL-\NTS. . l]73 

4260 Poisonous Plants. — Plants with five stamens and one 
pistil, with a dull-colorod lurid carolhi, and a nauseous sieklj 
smell, are always poisonous. A^ fnhnrro^ henbane, nightshade, 
thorn-apple. 

Umbelliferous plants of the aquatic kind, and with a 
nauseous scent, are always poisonous. As water-hemlock, 
coiV'parslei/. 

4261. Plants with ZaWa/e corollas and seeds in capsules, are 
frequently poisonous. As S7iap-dragon, fox-glove. 



4262. Plants from which issue a milky juice on beinp: bro- 
ken, are poisonous, unless they bear compound flowers. As 
mil/C'iceed, dogbane. 

4263.. Plants having any appendage to the calyx or corolla, 
and eight or more stamens, are generally poisonous. As col- 
umbine, iiasturtion. 

4264. Plants having twelve or more stamens, and a nauseous 
sickly smell, are generally poisonous. 

4265. To ascertain the Length of the Bay and Night. — At 
any time of the years add twelve hours to the time of the sun^s 
setting, and from the sum subtract the time of rising, for the 
length of the day. Subtract the time of setting from twelve 
hours, and to the remainder add the time of rising next morn- 
ing, for the length of the night. These rules are equally true 
for apparent time. 

4266. Leap Year. — Leap years are those that are exactly . 
divisible by four, and also by 400, and not by 100. The year 
1900, therefore, will not be a leap year. 



4266. True Time.— Two kinds of time are used in Alma- 
nacs ; clock or mean time in some, and apparent or su)i time 
in others. Clock tune is always right, while sun time i^iries 
every day. People generally supi)ose it is twelve o'clock when 
the sun is due south, or at a [)ro[)orly nnule noon-mark. But 
this is a mistake. The sun is seldom on the meridian al twelve 
43 



674 MRS. H ale's receipts for the million. 

o^clock ; indeed this is the ease only on four days of the year ; 
namely, April 15, June 15, September 1, and December 24. 



4268. The time when the sun is on the meridian or at the 
noon-mark is also given to the nearest second, for every day 
in the year. This affords a ready means of obtaining correct 
time and for setting a clock by using a noon-mark, adding or 
subtracting as the sun is slow or fast. 



4269. Old-fashioned Almanacs, which use apparent time, 
give the rising and setting of the sun's centre, and make no 
allowance for the effect of refraction of the sun's rays by the 
atmosphere. The more modern and improved Almanacs, 
w^hich use clock time, give the rising and the setting of the 
sun's upper limbj and duly allow for refraction. 

4210. Velocity of Sound and Light. — Sound moves about 
thirteen miles in a minute. So that if we hear a clap of 
thunder half a minute after the ''flash, we may calculate that 
the discharge of electricity is six and a half miles off. 



42^1. In one second of time — in one beat of the pendulum 
of a clock — light travels over 192,000 miles. Were a cannon 
ball shot toward the sun, and it were to maintain full speed, it 
would be twenty years in reaching it — and yet light travels 
through this space in seven or eight minutes. 



SIGNS OF THE WEATHER. 

4272. Dew. — If the dew lies plentifully on the grass after a 
fair day, it is a sign of another. If not, and there is no wind, 
rain must follow. 

4218. A red evening portends fine weather; but if it 
spreads too far upward from the horizon in the evening, and 
especially in the morning, it foretells wind or rain, or both. 



4274. When the sky, in rainy weather, is tinged with sea- 
green, the rain will increase ; if with deep blue, it will be 
showery. 



SIGNS OF THE WEATHER. 6 75 

42Y5. Clouds. — Against much rain, the clouds grow bigger, 
and increase very fast, especially before thunder. 



4216. When the clouds are formed like fleeces, but dense 
in the middle and bright tov/ard the edges, with the sky 
bright, they are signs of a frost, with hail, snow, or rain. 

•« 

4277. If clouds form high in the air, in thin white trains 
like locks of wool, they portend wind, and probably rain. 



4278. When a general cloudiness covers tW^sky, and small 
black fragments of clouds fly underneath, they are a sure sign 
of rain, and probably it will be lasting. Two currents of 
clouds always portend rain, and, in summer, thunder. 



4279. Heavenly Bodies. — A haziness in the air, which fades 
the sun\s light, and makes the orb appear whitish, or ill-defined 
— or at night, if the moon and stars grow dim, and a ring 
encircles the former, rain will follow. 



4280. If the sun's rays appear like Moses' horns — if white 
at setting, or shorn of his rays, or goes down into a bank of 
clouds in the horizon, bad weather is to be expected. 



4281. If the moon looks pale and dim we expect rain; if 
red, wind ; and if of her natural color, with a clear sky, fair 
weather. If the moon is rainy throughout, it will be clear at 
the change, and perhaps the rain return a few days after. If 
fair throughout, and rain at the change, the fair weather will 
probably return on the fourth or fifth day. 

4282. The Weather and the Blood. — In dry, sultry weather 
the heat ought to be counteracted by means of a cooling diet. 
To this purpose, cucumbers, melons, and juicy fruit are sub- 
servient. 

4283. We ought to give the preference to such alimentary 
substances as lead to contract the juices which are too much 
expanded by the heat, and the property is possessed by all 
acid food and drink. 

4284. To this class belong all sorts of salad, lemons, 



6*76 MRS. HALES RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

oranges, pomegranates sliced and sprinkled with sugar, for th9 
acid of this fruit is not so apt to derange the stomach as that 
of lemons ; also cherries and strawberries, curds turned with 
lemon acid or cream of tartar ; cream of tartar dissolved ia 
water — lemonade and Rhenish or Moselle wine mixed with 
water. 



AIR— ITS EFFECTS ON LIFE. 

4285. WhatiK carbonic acid gas ? 



4286. A gas formed by the union of carbon and oxygen. 
It used to be called '' fixed air." 



4287. Under what circumstances does carbon most readily 
unite with oxygen. 

4288. 1. IVhen its temperature is raised : thus, if carbon 
be red-hot, .oxygen will most readily unite with it; and 2. 
When it forms part of the fluid blood. 

4289. Why do oxygen and carbon so readily unite in the 
blood? 

4290. Because the atoms of carbon are so loosely attracted 
by the other materials of the blood, that they unite very 
readily with the- oxygen of the air inhaled. 



4291. Is carbonic acid wholesome ? 



4292. No : it is fatal to animal life : and (whenever it is in- 
haled) acts like a narcotic poison — producing drowsiness, 
w^hich sometimes ends in death. 



4293. How can any one know if a place be infested with 
carbonic acid gas ? 

4294. If a pit or well contain carbonic acid, a candle (let 
down into it) will be instantly extinguished. The rule, there- 
fore, is this — AVhere a candle will burn, a man can live ; but 
what will extinguish a candle, will also destroy life. 



AIR. 617 

4295. Why does a miner lower a candle into a mine before 
he descends ? 

4296. Because the candle will be extinguished, if the mine 
contains carbonic acid gas ; but if the candle is not extin- 
guished, the mine is safe, and the man may fearlessly descend. 



4291. Why doee a crowded room produce headache ? 



4298. Because we breathe the air vitiated by the crowd. 

4299. Why is the air of a room vitiated by a crowd ? 



4300. Because it is deprived of its due proportion of oxy- 
gen, and laden with carbonic acid. 



4301. How is the air of a room affected thus by a crowd ? 



4302. The elements of the air (inhaled by the breath) are 
separated in the lungs ; — the oxygen is converted in the blood 
into carbonic acid ; and the carbonic acid (together with the 
nitrogen) is then thrown off by the breath into the room. 



4303. Why is country air more pure than the air in cities ? 



4304. 1. Because there are fewer inhabitants to vitiate the 
air : 2. There are more trees to restore* the equilibrium of the 
vitiated air : and 3. The free circulation of air keeps it pure 
and wholesome ; in the same way as running streams are pure 
and wholesome, while stagnant waters are the contrary. 



4305. Why does the scantiness of a country population 
render the country air more pure ? 



4306. Because the fewer the inhabitants the less carbonic 
acid will be exhaled ; and thus country people inhale pure 
oxygen, instead of air impregnated with the narcotic poison, 
called carbonic acid gas. 



430T. Why do trees and flowers help to make country air 
wholesome ? 



678 MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 

4308. 1. Because trees and flowers absorb the carbonic 
acid generated by the lungs of animals, putrid substances, and 
other noxious exhalations : and 2. Trees and flowers restore 
to the air the oxygen which has been inhaled by man and 
other animals. 

4309. Why is the air of cities less wholesome than the 
country air ? 

4310. 1. Because there are more inhabitants to vitiate the 
air : 2. The sewers, drains, bins, and filth of a city, very 
greatly vitiate the air : 3. The streets and alleys prevent a 
free circulation : and 4. Besides all this, there are fewer trees 
to absorb the excess of carbonic acid gas, and restore the 
equilibrium. 

4311. Why are persons who live in close rooms and crowded 
cities generally sickly ? 



4312. Because the air they breathe is not pure, but is (in 
the first place) defective in oxygen : and (in the second) im- 
pregnated with carbonic acid gas. 

4313. Where does the carbonic acid of close rooms and 
cities come from ? 

4314. From the lungs of the inhabitants, the sewers, drains, 
and other like places, in which organic substances are under- 
going decomposition. 

4315. What becomes of the carbonic acid of crowded 
cities ? 

4316. Some of it is absorbed by vegetables ; and the rest 
is blown away by the wind, and diffused through the whole 
volume of the air. 

4317. Does not this constant diffoeion of carbonic acid 
affect the purity of the whole air ? 



4318. No ; because it is wafted by the wind from place to 
place, and absorbed in its passage by the vegetable world. 



PRUNING VINES. — ^FIGURES. 6lf9 

4319. What is choke damp? 



4320. Carbonic acid gas accumulated at the bottom of wells 
and pits, which renders them noxious, and often fatal to life- 



4321. Offensive Cessjjools. — Sulphate oi zinc can be pur- 
chased of any druggist, in the form of a salt, and a pound of 
it dissolved in two pails of warm water and thrown into an 
offensive cesspool, will soon deodorize it. 



4322. Directions for Pruning Vines. — In pruning always 
cut upward, and in a sloping direction. 



4323. Always leave an inch of blank wood beyond a 
terminal bud, and let the cut be on the opposite side of the 
bud. 

4324. Prune so as to leave as few wounds as possible, and 
let the surface of every cut be perfectly smooth. 



4325. In cutting out an old branch, prune it even with the 
parent limb, that the wound may heal quickly. 



4326. Prune so as to obtain the quantity of fruit desired on 
the smallest number of shoots possible. 



432 1. Never prune in frosty weather, nor when a frost is 
expected. 

4328. Never prune in the months of March, April, or May ; 
pruning in either of these months causes bleeding, and occa- 
sions thereby a wasteful and injurious expenditure of sap. 



4329. Let the general autumnal pruning take place as soon 
after the 1st of October as the gathering of the fruit will per- 
mit. Lastly. Use a pruning-knife of the best description, 
and let it be, if possible, as sharp as a razor. 



4330. Curious Properties of some Figures, — To multiply 
by 2 is the same as to multiply by 10 and divide by 5. 

4831. Any number of figures you may wish to multiply by 



680 ' MRS, hale's rkceifts for the million. 

5, will give the same result if divided hj 2— a much quicker 
operation than the former ; but you must remember to annex 
a cipher to the answer where there is no remainder, and where 
there is a remainder annex a 5 to the answer. 



4332. Thus, multiply 464 by 5, the answer will be 2320 ; 
divide the same number by 2, and you have 232, and as there 
is no remainder you add a cipher. Now, take 35*7, and 
multiply by 5 — the answer is 1785. On dividing 357 by 2, 
there is 178, and a remainder ; you therefore place 5 at the 
right of the line, and the result is again 1785. 



4333. There is something more curious in the properties of 
the number 9. Any number multiplied by 9 produces a sum 
of figures which, added together, continually makes 9. For 
example, all the, first multiples of 9, as 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 
72, 81, sum up 9 each. Each of them multiplied by any 
number whatever produces a similar result ; as 8 times 81 are 
648, these added together make 18, 1 and 8 are 9. Multiply 
648 by itself, the product is 419,904 — the sum of these digits 
is 27, 2 and 7 are 9. The rule is invariable. 



4334. Take any number whatever and multiply it by 9 ; or 
any multiple of 9, and the sum will consist of figures which, 
added together, continually number 9. As 17 X 19 = 306, 6 
and 3 are 9; 117 X 27 = 3159, the figures sum up 18, 8 and 
1 are 9 ; 4591 X 72 = 330,552, the figures sum up 18, 8 and 1 
are 9. Again, 87,363 X 54 = 4,717,422 ; added together, the 
product is 27, or 2 and 7 are 9, and so always. 



4335. Technical terms relative to Books, Engravings, etc : 



4336. Books are distinguished according to the number of 
pages in a sheet of the paper on which they are printed ; as, 
two leaves, four pages, folio ; four leaves) eight pages, quarto, 
or Uo.; eight leaves, sixteen pages, octavo, or 8fo.; twelve 
leaves, twenty-four pages, twelves, duodecimo, or Vlmo.; six- 
teen leaves, thirty-two pages, sixteens, or 16mo.; eighteen 
leaves, thirty-six pages, octodecimo, eighteens, or 18mo. 



4337. The size of a book is determined by the size or 



TECHIflCAL TERMS. ggl 

designation of a sheet of the paper on which it is printed ; as 
foolscap Uo.j or ^vo,; post Svo.; demy Svo.; royal Suo. &c. 

4338. The letters A, B, C, D, &c., and the letters and 
figures, A 2, A 3, A 4, &c., at the bottoms of the first, third, 
fifth, seventh, &c., pages of printed sheets, are marks for direct- 
ing the printer, bookseller, and bookbinder in collecting, col- 
lating, folding and placing the sheet's in proper order. These 
marks are usually termed signatures. 



4339. When the page of a book is divided into two or more 
parts by a line or lines, or blank spaces, running from the top 
to the bottom, each division is called a column. This work 
is printed in columns. 

4340. Vignette is a French term, designating the ornamen- 
tal engraving, without a border, which is sometimes placed in 
the title-page of a book, at the head or termination of a chap- 
ter, &c. 

4341. Xylography is the art of engraving upon wood ; 
etching^ mezzotinto, aquatinta, are varieties of the art of engrav- 
ing upon copper. Until within these few years, copper and 
wood were the substances employed by engravers for book 
illustrations. For certain purposes, wood (box-wood) con- 
tinues in the highest repute : but copper has been in a great 
measure superseded by steel, where a large number of impres- 
sions is required. 

4342. Electrography is a newly-discovered electrical pro- 
cess, by which one copper plate may be expeditiously pro- 
duced, mfac simile from another. 



4343. Glyphography is a somewhat similar process, by 
which, through the action of the voltaic hattery^ plates may be 
obtained from drawings, affording impressions ad libitum, 

4344. Lithography is the art of taking impressions from 
drawings or writings made on prepared and highly-polished 
calcareous stone. 

4345. Zincography is an adaptation of the same principle 



682 MRS. HALE S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION 

to plates of zinc. All these processes are now extensively 
employed in the illustrations of books for various purooses. 



LAWS— IMPORTANCE OF LAWS. 

4346. Every citizen should earnestly and constantly bear in 
mind the important fact, that his only safety for person, pro- 
perty, liberty and life, is in the absolute supremacy of the con- 
stitution and the laws. 

434T. Betting on Elections. — This is an extensive and per- 
nicious evil, alike injurious to the citizen and to the purity of ' 
elections. All are interested in its suppression ; let all then 
unite in getting up and presenting petitions to the several 
State legislatures for the passage of a law similar to that intro- 
duced into the Legislature of Missouri against betters and 
stakeholders, and fining both to the amount of money or pro- 
perty bet. Also punishing by fine any person who may pub- 
lish a bet, or assist in any way in making it. 

4348. A decision in Ohio makes proprietors of stages 
responsible for passengers' baggage, notwithstanding their 
caution of *' All baggage at the risk of the owners." 



4349. A Non-resident — A person having a place of busi- 
ness in a city or town, and boarding and lodging in another, 
is a non-resident in his place of business. 



4350. Titles of land derived under sales for taxes are 
declared good by Supreme Court of Illinois. 



4351. A salesman receiving a per centage is not thereby 
constituted a partner. 

4352. Breach of trust is where valuables are received in the 
course of employment, for or in the name of the employer, and 
embezzled ; but if the valuables have come to the possession 
of the employer, the offense is larceny. 



4353. A husband is liable for goods furnished his wife, if, 



LAWS — IMPORTANCE OF. 683 

from ill-treatment or other siifficient cause, she does not live 
with him ; but if she leave him from unjustifiable causes, he is 
not liable even for necessaries, whether the tradesman knows 
of such separation or not. 



4B54. Erasing or altering an endorsement on a note is 
forgery. 

4355. A town is liable for damages occasioned by any 
obstruction placed on the road by human agency, and is bound 
to make roads safe and convenient for travelers. 



4356. Common Carriers. — The owners of a steamboat are 
responsible to shippers of goods as common carriers. Com- 
mon carriers, if they make a wrong delivery, are responsible 
for any loss. 

435 1. The owners of goods must have them properly marked, 
and entered in carriers' books ; and if he neglects to do it, he 
must bear the loss. 

4358. An account current rendered, and accepted without 
objection being made in a reasonable time, precludes objection 
afterward, and makes it a stated account. 



4359. A will dictated and taken down in pencil only, and 
signed by two witnesses, is valid, if deceased was in sound 
mind when he gave the instructions. 

4360. Wills. — A will is an instrument in writing, executed 
in form of law, by which a person makes a disposition of his 
property, to take effect after his death. 

4361. A codicil is a supplement or addition to a will, and 
by whicli the will is altered, explained or added to, but in no 
case wholly revoked. 

4362. A bequest to a subscribing of a will is void. 

4363. Let every man about to make a will endeavor to 
make it as concise as possible; and if he employs a lawyer, 
agree to pay him, not by the length, but by the transaction. 



684 ^^^' HALES RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

Let him keep in his mind that every trust or use he creates, 
also creates the danger of a lawsuit. Every will should he 
dated on the day it is executed. 



4364. It is also of the first importance that' it should be 
prepared without blot or alteration , or erasure^ for it is an in- 
strument that may not come into operation for many years — 
of a surety not until the party best capable of explaining it, 
the testator himself, is removed from the scene of evidence, 
and possibly not until both the writer of it, and the witnesses, 
have either ceased to exist, or whose locality is not to be 
traced. 

4365. Homestead Exemption. — It has been truly, as well 
as eloquently said, that ^' Women are the Corinthian* pillars 
that adorn and support society ; the institutions that protect 
women throw a shield also around children ; and where women 
and children are provided for, man must be secure in his 
rights.'' 

4366. From this radical law of society, which makes the 
best interests of humanity dependent on the integrity and 
comfort of the Homes of the People, arises the necessity that 
legislation should protect the sacredness, and insure the safety 
of the places where women and children dwell. We hope that 
every State in our broad land will take heed of this paramount 
duty. 

The following extracts exhibit the various qualifications 
of ^the Homestead Exemption Laws now in force in the 
several States named : — 



4367. Maine. — A lot of land, a dwelling-house, and out- 
buildings thereon, or so much thereof as shall not exceed 
$5000 in value. 

4368. Vermont. — The homestead of every housekeeper, or 
head^of a family, to the value of $500, and the yearly pro- 
ducts thereof. 

4369. Massachusetts. — The lot and buildings thereon occu- 
pied as a residence, to the value of $5000. 



LAWS — IMPORTANCE OF. 685 

43 YO. Neio York, — The lot and buildings tnereon occupied 
as a residence, to the value of $5000. 



4311. Maryland. — All real estate acquired by marriage 
durino; the life of a wife, from execution for debt of husband. 



4312. Georgia, — Twenty acres of land, including dwelling 
and improvements, not to exceed $200 ; and the additional 
amount of five acres for each child under fifteen years of age. 



43Y3. Florida. — Forty acres of land, when not in any town 
or city, and provided such does not exceed in value 



4314. Alabama. — Forty acres of land to every farmer ; and 
to every housekeeper, residing in a town or city, a house and 
lot nofto exceed $3000 in value. 



4315. Texas. — Two hundred acres of land (when not in any 
town lots), not to exceed $2000 in value. 



4316. Ohio. — Every family a homestead not to exceed $500 
in value. 

4311. Michigan. — Forty acres, with dwelling-house and 
appurtenance, when not in town or city ; if in town or city, a 
lot or dwelling-house not to exceed in Value $1500. 



4318. Illinois. — Lot of ground and building occupied as a 
residence, not exceeding in value $1000. 



4319. Iowa. — Forty acres of land, not in town or city, or 
a town or city lot not exceeding in amount one-fourth of an 
acre. 

4380. California. — The homestead, consisting of a quan- 
tity of land, together with the dwelling-house thereon and its 
appurtenances, and not exceeding in value the sum of $5000. 



4381. New Jersey. — A homestead to each head of a family, 
being the family residence, to the value of $500 ; not to be 
assets in the hands of an administrator, but to remain for the 
benefit of the widow, and until tiie maturity of tlie minor child. 



686 MKS. HALES RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 

4382. South Carolina. — A homestead of fifty acres of land, 
including the dwelling-house and appurtenances, not to exceed 
$500 in value, and to extend to any property situated within 
the limits of any city or town corporate. 



4383. Arkansas has an homestead exemption. 



4384. Pennsylvania. — The amount of $300, in real or per- 
sonal property. 

4385. Other States may have exemption laws, but I have 
not found any record. 

4836. Naturalization Laws. — Congress alone has power to 
make or regulate the laws of naturalization. 



4381. An alien must renounce, in court, allegiance, &c., to 
any foreign power, and declare his intention of becoming a citi- 
zen at least two years before admission. Must swear to support 
the Constitution, renounce any hereditary title or order of 
nobility, and must have reside^ five years in the country, and 
satisfy the court that he has behaved as a man of good moral 
character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the 
United States, and well disposed to the good order and happi- 
ness of the same. _^ 

4388. Children of naturalized citizens, if under twenty-one 
years of age at the time of their parents' naturalization, shall, 
if dwelling in the United States, be considered as citizens. 
An alien, having declared his intention, and dying before he 
was naturalized, his widow and children, on taking the oaths 
prescribed, shall be entitled to all the rights of citizenship. 



4389. Receipts. — A receipt is not conclusive evidence of 
payment, but it throws the burden of proof upon him who 
attempts to impeach it. 



4390. Receipts may be either in full of all demands, for a 
special account, in part payment of an account, or for a special 
purpose. 



PHRENOLOGY. 68t 

4391. The arrangement of the wording of a receipt is not 
important, if the object and time be distinctly stated in it. 



4392. A general receipt "m full of all demands'' is a dis- 
charge of all debts except special debts under seal. 



4393. The legality of signatures in pencil has ever been 
questioned. 

4394. Account books, notes or receipts, written in pencil, 
would not be respected in any law court. 



4395. In those States in which exemption laws are enforced, 
the drawer of a promissory note may expressly waive all right 
of benefit from those laws. Conditions which the subscriber 
may add to a ''note of promise," if accepted by the receiver, 
holds good in every State, unless they directly contravene 
local laws. 



PHRENOLOGY. 

4396. The word is derived from two Greek words, signify- 
ing mind and doctrine or discourse. 



439t. Phrenology designates that system of mental philo- 
sophy which treats of the special manifestation of minds. 

4398. Phrenology teaches that the faculties of the mind 
have, each one, its special organ or place in the brain ; and 
that these organs, in their aggregate, constitute the brain. 
Therefore the brain is the organ of the mind. 



4399. Powers of Mind. — These are manifested by the size 
and developments of the brain — when temperament, health, 
and opportunities are equal. 



4400. The size of each organ measures the power of the 
faculty which is exercised by means of it. 



4401. Each organ desires its own active gratification iu 



688 



MRS. HALE'S RECEIPTS FOR THE MILLION. 



proportion to its development, the larger controlling the 

smaller. 

4402. This is a brief outline of the science or study. The 
general principles are, more or less, interwoven into our litera- 
ture, and influence our systems of education ; therefore the 
following may be found interesting and curious, if not useful. 



4403. Heads:— 




4404. Faculties of the Mind, 



4405. Of ilie Feelings or Affective Faculties^ usually styled 
propensities. 

4406. Alimentativeness — Gives appetite for food. It has 
been a question whether this organ was in the brain or the 
stomach, therefore it is not numbered on the head. 



•4401. 1. Amaiiveness — Producessexual love, desire, phy- 
sical love. 

4408. 2. Philoprogenitiveness — Love of children and 
young beings. 

4409. 3. Concentrativeness — Continues the mind on emo- 
tion or ideas. 



4410. 4. Adhesiveness — Friendship, sociability, attach- 
ment generally. 



PHRENOLOGY. 689 

4411. 5. Combativeness — Courage, opposition, intrepi- 
dity, quarrelsomeness. 

4212. 6. Destructiveness — Desire to destroy, torment ; 
harshness, cruelty. 

4413. T. Secretiveness—G oxxQ^dXm^wi, prudence, cunning, 
hypocrisy. 

4414. 8. Acquisitiveness — Desire to acquire property; 
avarice, selfishness. 

4415. 9. Gonstructiveness — Mechanical genius, desire to 
build. _^ 

SENTIMENTS — INFERIOR AND SUPERIOR. 

4416. 10. Self-Esteem — Self-respect, personal dignity, 
pride, haughtiness. 

441 Y. 11. Approbativeness — Thirst for praise, fame, or 
glory ; ambition, vanity. 

4418. 12. Cautiousness — Circumspection, timidity, fear, 
despondency. 

4419. 13. Benevolence — Universal charity, mildness of 
disposition. 

4420. 14. Veneration — Reverence, superstitious adoration, 
bigotry. ^ 

V 

4421. 15. Firmness — Determination, perseverance, obsti- 
nacy, resolution. 

4422. IG. Conscientiousness — Love of truth, sense of jus- 
tice, duty. 

4423. IT. Hope — Expects future good ; cherishes faith, 
love of scheming. 

4424. 18. Wonder — Desire of novelty, belief in the super- 
natural. 

44 



690 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

4425. 19. Ideality — Love of the beautiful, or excellent, 

poetic feeling. 

4426. 20. MiHhfulness — Wit, humor, glee, love of the 
ludicrous. 

4427. 21. Imitation — Expression in arts, or action ; mi- 
micry. 



INTELLECT, OR KNOWING AND REFLECTING FACULTIES. 

4428. 22. Individuality — Observes existences, simple facts. 



4429. 23. Form — Observes configuration and the shape 
of bodies generally. 

4430. 24. Size — Gives the idea of space, distance, dimen- 
sion. 

4431. 25. Weight — Perceives momentum, resistance, equi- 
librium. 

4432. 26. Coloring — Gives perception of colors, and their 
harmonies. 

4433. 27. Locality— Gi;\NQs the idea of relative position, 
place. 

4434. 28. Number — Talent for calculation, quickness in 
figures. 

4435. 29. Order — Communicates the love of physical 
arrangement. 

4436. 80. Eventuality — Observes and remembers occur- 
rences and events. 

4437. 31. Time — Perceives duration in nature, time in 
music. 

4438. 32. Tune — Sense of musical harmony, melody. 



PHRENOLOGY — TEMPERAMENTS. 691 

4439. 33. Language — Verbal memory, fluency in speech 



4440. 34. Comparison — Discovers analogies and differ- 
ences. 

4441. 35. Causality — Traces the relation of cause and 
effect. 

4442. Memory is merely a degree of activity of the knowing 
and reflecting organs, each organ enabling the mind to recall 
the impressions which it served at first to receive. 



4443. Judgment is the decision of 34 and 35 upon feelings 
and ideas furnished by the other faculties. 



4444. The faculties, in themselves, are instructive ; the 
moral sentiments and intellect being higher than the animal 
propensities.. 

4445. Temp^rame/iis.— These are four in number, viz : — 
The Nervous, the Bilious, the Sanguine, and the Lymphatic. 

4446. The Nervous temperament is known by the person 
having fine, tliin hair, usually brov/n ; thin, pale or fair skin; 
gray or dark blue eyes ; small muscles. Very active. 



444T. The Bilious temperament has black hair and eyes, 
dark or swarthy skin, firm muscles, strong features, and great 
energy of will. 

4448. The Sanguine temperament is fair and florid ; happy, 
healthy countenance; handsome in youth, and hopeful in 
spirit always. ^ 

4449. The Lymphatic temperament has soft fat muscles; 
pale or bloodless complexion ; slow and languid in action, 
and usually dull or very easy in mind. 



692 - MRS. hale's receipts for the million. 



SYNOPSIS OF AMERICAN HISTORY. 

4450. Showing the year in which each State was settled, by 
what people, the number of square miles, and the capital of 
each State, etc. 

4451. lfafr?e.— Settled 1630, by English; 36,000 square 
miles; capital, Augusta ; admitted into the TJnion 1820. 



4452. New Hampshire.— Settled 1623, by English ; 9,500 
square miles ; capital, Concord ; one of the *' Old Thirteen. '^ 



4453. Massachusetts.— Settled 1620, by English; Y,500 
square miles ; capital, Boston ; one of the ''Old Thirteen." 

4454. Vermont. — Settled 1T49,. by English ; square miles, 
10,200; capital, Montpelier ; admitted into the Union 1^91. 



4455. Bhode Island.— Settled 1636, by English; 1350 
square miles ; capital. Providence and Newport ; one of the 
''Old Thirteen." 

4456. Connecticut. — Settled 1633, by English ; 4,'760square 
miles; capital, Hartford and New Haven; one of the "Old 
Thirteen.'' 

445T. New York. — Settled 1614, by Dutch; square miles, 
46,000 ; capital, Albany ; one of the " Old Thirteen." 



4458. New Jersey. — Settled 1624, by Dutch and Danes; 
square miles, 8,300; capital, Trenton; one of the "Old 
Thirteen." 



4459. Pennsylvania. — Settled 1682, by English; .square 
miles, 44,000; capital, Harrisburg ; one of the " Old Thir- 
teen." 

4460. Delaware. — Settled 162T, by Swedes and Finns; 
square miles^ 2100 ; capital, Dover ; one of the " Old Thir 
teen." 



SYNOPSIS OF AMERICAN HISTORY. 693 

4461. Maryland. — Settled 1634, by English; square miles, 
14,000; capital, Annapolis; one of the "Old Thirteen." 



4462. Virginia. — Settled 160*7, by English ; square miles, 
64,000; capital, Richmond ; one of the "'Old Thirteen." 



4463. North Carolina. — Settled 1650, by English ; square 
miles, 48,000; capital, Raleigh; one of the "Old Thir- 
teen." 

4464. South Carolina. — Settled 1689, by English ; square 
miles, 24,000 ; capital, Columbus ; one of the " Old Thir- 
teen." ___ 

4465. Georgia. — Settled 1733, by English ; square miles, 
60,000; capital, Milledgeville ; one of the ''Old Thirteen." 



4466. Florida. — For near two hundred years under Spain, 
was ceded to the United States in 1819, and the East and 
West formed one territory in 1822 ; St. Augustine is the 
oldest town in the United States ; Tallahasse is the capital ; 
Pensacola, U. S. naval station. Admitted into the Unioa 
1845. 

4467. Ohio. — Settled 1188, by English; square miles, 
39,000 ; capital, Columbus ; admitted into the Union 1802. 



4468. Indiana. — Settled 1130, by French; square miles?, 
86,000 ; capital, Indianapolis ; admitted into the Union 1816. 



4469. Illinois. — Settled 1149, by French; square miles, 
52,000 ; capital, Springfield ; admitted into the Union 1818. 



4410. Missouri. — Settled 1163, by French ; square miles, 
60,000 ; capital, Jefferson city ; admitted into the Union 
1821. 

4411. Michigan. — Settled 1610, by French ; square miles, 
65,000 ; capital, Lansing ; admitted into the Union 1836. 



4412. Iowa. — Settled by emigrants from other of the United 



694 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

States and Germans ; square miles, 150,000 ; capital, Iowa 
city ; admitted into the Union 1846. 



44Y3. Wisconsin.— -Sealed by emigrants chiefly from New 
England and Europe; square miles, 80,000; capital, Madi- 
son ; admitted into the Union 1848. 



44T4. Alabama. — Settled 1713, by French ; square miles, 
44,000 ; capital, Montgomery ; admitted into the Union 
1819. • 

4415. Mississippi. — Settled ltl6, by French ; square 
miles, 45,000; capital, Jackson; admitted into the Union 
1817. ^ 

44T1B. Louisiana. — Settled 1699, by French ; square miles, 
48,000 ; capital. Baton Rouge ; admitted into the Union 
1811. 

4478. Texas. — Settled 1692, by Spanish; square miles, 
240,000; Settled by Americans 1821; capital, Austin; ad- 
mitted into the Union 1845. 



4479. Arkansas. — Settled by French from Louisiana, and 
formed part of Missouri in 1819 ; square miles, 57,000 ; capi- 
tal. Little Rock; admitted into the Union 1836. 



4480. Tennessee. -Sealed 1765, by English; square miles, 
40,000 ; capital, Nashville ; admitted into the Union 1796. 



4481. Kentucky. — Settled by Yirginians ; square miles, 
42,000 ; capital, Frankfort ; admitted into the Union 1792. 

4482. California. — Settled 1769, by Spaniards; ceded to 
the United States by Mexico, 1848 ; square miles, 188,000 ; 
capital, Sacramento ; admitted into the Union 1850. 



4483. Territories of the United States, 



4484. Oregon Territory. — Beyond the Rocky Mountains ; 
settled by emigrants from the States; will soon be admitted 



WORDS OF WASHINGTON. 695 

into the UDion ; capital, Oregon city ; square miles over 
300,000. 

4485. Minnesota Territory. — Settled by emigrants from 
the older States ; capital, St. Paul ; will soon be admitted 
into the Union. 

4486. Utah Territory. — Settled by Mormons ; capital, Salt 
Lake city; not to be admitted into the Union with its present 
institutions. 

4481. New Mexico Territory. — Settled by Spaniards ; ceded 
to the United States 1849 ; capital, Santa Fe ; will probably 
soon be admitted into the Union. 



4488. Washington Territory. — Settled by English ; square 
miles, 257,000 ; capital, Puget^s Sound ; very few American 
settlers. 

4489. Kansas Territory. — Settled by emigrants chiefly 
from Missouri and the New England States ; capital, Lecomp- 
ton ; will soon be admitted into the Union. 



4490. Nebraska Territory. — Settled by emigrants from the 
older States ; capital, Omaha city. 



WORDS OF WASHINGTON. 

4491. The following rules were found among the early 
papers of this great hero, patriot and statesman. He wrote 
them when, probably, about fourteen or fifteen years of age. 



4492. As these rules were a guide to him, evidently shown 
in his life and character, so may they influence the conduct of 
Young America. 

4493. Rules of civility and decent behavior in company and 
conversation, written by George Washington. 



4494. Every action in company ought to be with some siga 
of respect to those present. 



696 j^iES. kale's receipts for the million. 

4495. Be no flatterer; neither play with any one that 
delights not to be played with. 



4496. Read no letters, books, or papers in company ; but 
when there is a necessity for doing it, you must ask leave. 
Come not near the books or writings of any one so as to read 
them, unless desired, nor give your opinion of them unasked; 
also look not nigh when another is writing a letter. 



449Y. Let your countenance be pleasant, but in serious 
matters somewhat grave. 



4498. Show not yourself glad at the misfortune of another, 
though he were your enemy. 



4499. When you meet with one of greater quality than your- 
self, stop and retire, especially if it be at a door or any strait 
place, to give way for him to pass. 

4500. They that are in dignity, or in office, have in all 
places precedency ; but whilst they are young they ought to 
respect those that are their equals in birth, or other qualities, 
though they have no public charge. 

4501. It is good manners to prefer them to whom we speak 
before ourselves, especially if they be above us, with whom in 
no sort we ought to begin. 



4502. Let your discourse with men of business be short 
and comprehensive. 

4503. In visiting the sick, do not presently play the physi- 
cian, if you be not knowing therein. 

4504. In writing, or speaking, give to every person his due 
title, according to his degree and the custom of the place. 

4505. Strive not with your superiors in argument, but 
always submit your judgment to others with modesty. 

4506. Undertake not to teach your equal in the art he him- 
self professes ; it savors of arrogance. 



WORDS OP WASHINGTON. 697 

4507. When a man does all he can, though it succeeds not 
well, blame not him that did it. 



4508. Being to advise or reprehend any one, consider 
whether it ought to be in public or in private ; presently or at 
some other time ; in what terms to do it ; and in reproving 
show no signs of choler, but do it with sweetness and mild- 
ness. 

450 9< Take all admonitions thankfully, in what time or 
place soever given ; but afterward, not being culpable, take a 
time or place convenient to let him know it that gave them. 

4510. Mock not, nor jest at any thing of importance ; break 
no jests that are sharp-biting ; and if you deliver any thing 
witty and pleasant, abstain from laughing thereat yourself. 



4511. Wherein you reprove another, be unblamable your- 
self; for example is more prevalent than precepts. 



4512. Use no reproachful language against any one, neither 
curse nor revile. 

4513. Be not hasty to believe flying reports to the dispar- 
agement of any. 

4514. In your apparel be modest, and endeavor to accom- 
modate nature rather than to procure admiration ; keep to the 
fashion of your equals, such as are civil and orderly with 
respect to times and places. 



4515. Avssociate yourselves with men of good quality, if you 
esteem your own reputation, for it is better to be alone than 
in bad company. 

4516. Be not immodest in urging your friend to discover a 
secret. 

4517. Utter not base or frivolous things amongst grave 
and learned men ; nor very difficult questions or subjects 
among the ignorant ; nor things hard to be believed. 



698 MRS. bale's receipts for the million. 

4518. Speak not of doleful things in time of mirth, nor at 
the table; speak not of melancholy things, as death, and 
wounds ; and if others mention them, change, if you can, the 
discourse. Tell not your dreams but to your intimate friend. 

4519. Break not a jest where none takes pleasure in mirth ; 
laugh not aloud, nor at all without occasion. Deride no man's 
misfortune, though there seem to be some cause. 



4520. Speak not injurious words neither in jest nor earnest ; 
scoff at none, although they give occasion. 



4521. Be not forward, but friendly and courteous ; the first, 
to salute, hear, and answer ; and be not pensive when it is a 
time to converse. 

4522. Detract not from others, neither be excessive in com- 
mending. 

4523. If two contend together, take not the part of either 
unconstrained, and be not obstinate in your own opinion ; in 
things indifferent, be of the major side. 



4524. Think before you speak ; pronounce not imperfectly, 
nor bring out your words, too hastily, but orderly and dis- 
tinctly. 

4525. When another speaks, be attentive yourself, and dis- 
turb not the audience. If any hesitate in his words, help him 
not, nor prompt him without being desired ; interrupt him 
not, nor answer him till his speech be ended. 



4526. Make no comparisons ; and if any of the company 
be commended for any brave act of virtue, commend not an- 
other for the same. 

452t. Be not apt to relate news, if you know not the truth 
thereof. In discoursing of things you have heard, name not 
your author always. A secret discover not. 



4528. Undertake not what you cannot perform, but be 
Qareful to keep your promise. 



USEFUL FAMILY TABLES. 699 

4529. In disputes be not so desirous to overcome as not to 
give liberty to each one to deliver his opinion, and submit to 
the judgment of the major part, especially if they are judges 
of the dispute. 

4530. Speak not evil of the absent, for it is unjust. 



4531. Be not angry at table, whatever happens ; and if you 
have reason to be so, show it not ; put on a cheerful counte- 
nance, especially if there be strangers, for good humor makes 
one dish of meat a feast. 



4532. When you speak of God, or his attributes, let it be 
seriously in reverence. Honor and obey your natural parents, 
although they be poor. 

4533. Let your recreations be manful, not sinful. 



4534. Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark 
of celestial fire called conscience. 



USEFUL FAMILY TABLES. 

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 



4535. A — Measure 


of Length. 


12 Inches = 

3 Feet 

5i Yards 
40 Poles *' 

8 Furlongs ** 
69gVMiles 


I Foot, 

1 Yard, 

1 Rod, or Pole, 

1 Furlong, 

1 Mile, 

1 Degree of Great Circle of Earth 



4536. An inch is the smallest lineal measure to which a 
name is given, but subdivisions are used for many i)urposes. 
Among mechanics the inch is commonly divided into eighths. 
By the officers of the revenue, and by scientific persons, it is 
divided into tenths, hundredths, <fec. Formerly it was made 
to consist of twelve parts called lines. 



TOO 



MRS. bale's receipts FOR THE MILLION. 



45 St. B. — Particular Measures of Length. 

A Nail = 
Quarter ** 
Yard 
Ell 
Hand 
Fathom " 



Link '' 1 In. 92 hdths. 

Chain *' 100 Links 



2^ inches ^ 

4 Nails I Used for measuring Cloth of 

4 Quarters i all kinds. 

^5 Quarters ^ 

4 Inches, used for the height of Horses. 

6 Feet, used in measuring depths. 

Used in Land Measure to 
facilitate computation of 
content, 10 sq. chains be- 
ing equal to an acre. 



4538. C 


—Pleasure of Surface. 




144 


Square Inches = 


1 Square Foot 


9 


Square Feet '* 


1 Square Yard 


301 


Square Yards " 


1 Perch, or Rod 


40 


Perches *' 


1 Rood 


4 


Roods *' 


1 Acre 


640 


Acres ** 


1 Square Mile. 



4539. D. — Measures of Solidity and Capacity. 

DIVISION I. — SOLIDITY. 

1128 Cubic Inches = 1 Cubic Foot 
27 Cubic Feet '' 1 Cubic Yard. 



«> 


DIVISION II. — 


CAPACITY. 


4 Gills 


1 Pint = 


34f cubic inches nearly. 


2 Pints ' 


1 Quart '' 


69i 


4 Quarts ' 


1 Gallon " 


27'7i 


2 Gallons / 


1 Peck 


554J 


8 Gallons ' 


1 Bushel '' 


22181 


8 Bushels ' 


' 1 Quarter " 


10:^ cubic feet nearly. 


5 Quarters * 


1 Load '' 


5U 



4540. The four last denominations are used for dry goods 
only. For liquids several denominations have been heretofore 
adopted, viz.: — for Beer, the Firkin of 9 gallons, the Kilder- 
kin, of 18, the Barrel, of 36, tlie Hogshead, of 54, and the 
Butt, of 108 gallons. These will probably continue to be used 
in practice. For Wine and Spirits, there are the Anker, 
Runlet, Tierce, Hogshead, Puncheon, Pipe, Butt, and Tun; 
but these may be considered rather as the names of the casks 



USEFUL FAMILY TABLES. 



701 



in which such commodities are imported, than as expressing 
any definite number of gallons. It is the practice to gauge 
all such vessels, and to charge them according to their actual 
content. 



4541. Flour is sold nominally by measur-e, but actually by. 
weight, reckoned at Tibs. Avoirdupois to a gallon. 



4542. E. — Measure of Avoirdupois Weight 
2Y|-^ Grains = 1 Dram = 



2^H 
437i 



grains. 



16 Drams '* 1 Ounce ^ 

16 Ounces '' -1 Pound (lb.) '' 7000 

28 Pounds '' 1 Quarter (qr.) 

4 Quarters " 1 Hundred-weight (cwt.) 

20 Cwt. '' 1 Ton. 

This weight is used in almost all commercial transaci^ions, 
and in the common dealino-s of life. 



A Firkin of Butter 561b. 

Soap 64 '' 

ABarrel of Anchovies.. 30 " 



A Barrel of Soap 256 lb. 

Raisins...ll2 ^^ 

A fother of Lead 19J cwt. 



4543. P. — Measures of Pounds, 

The following table of the number of pounds of various 
articles to a bushel, may be of interest to some of our farming 
friends. 



Wheat 60 lbs. 


is 1 bus. 


Clover Seed 60 lb. is 1 bus 


Shelled Corn 46 


<( « 




Timothy seed 45 '' '' 


Corn in cob 70 


it ti 




Flaxseed 56 " " 


Oats 35 


H It 




Hemp Seed 44 '' '' 


Barley 48 


it tt 




Buckwheat 42 " " 


Potatoes 60 


tt tt 




Blue grass seed 14 " " 


Beans 60 


tt tt 




Castor Beans 46 " " 


Bran 20 


tt tt 

res for 






4544. G. — Measw 


m 


msekeepers,"^ 


Wheat Flour, 






1 lb. is 1 quart 


Indian Meal, 






1 " 2 oz. '' 1 *' 



* By the above method, persons not having scales and weights at hand, 
may readily measure the articles wanted to form any receipt, without tho 
trouble of weighing. Allowance to be made for an extraordinary dryness or 
moisture of the articlo weighed or measured. 



702 



MRS. bale's receipts FOR THE MILLION. 



Butter, when soft, 1 " 


u 


1 '' 


Loaf Sugar, broken 1 '^ 


it 


1 " 


White Sugar, powdered 1 '' 1 oz. 


i( 


1 '' 


Best Brown Sugar, 1 '' 2 oz. 


It 


1 '' 


Eggs, 10 eggs 1 


are 


1 lb. 


Flour, 8 quarts 


li 


1 peck. 


Flour, 4 pecks 


<< 


1 bus. 


4545.* LIQUIDS. 




16 large table-spoonsful are 


half 


a pint 


8 large table-spoonsful are 


one 


gill. 


4 large table-spoonsful are 


half 


a gill 


2 gills are 


half 


a pint 


2 pints are 


one 


quart 


4 quarts are 


one 


gallon 


A common sized tumbler holds 


half 


a pint 


A common-sized wine-glass holds 


half 


a gill 


25 drops are equal to 


one 


teaspoonful 



* The Nurse will find this manner of measuring liquids very convenient ; to 
the housekeeper it will be of importance. A similar "Table of Weights and 
Measures" is prefixed to the ^'New Cook Book;" and to that work of 
mine the patrons of this "Receipt Book" are referred for information on all 
matters of " household good," not found, or not fully explained in this trea- 
tise. The two volumes are intended as family companions, and will, I trust, 
be usually found together. 

S. J. H. 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



A. 






Aperients, gingerbread, 
Aperient pills, . 


615 
. 618 


Abrasions of the skin, to pre\ 


ent. 


93 


Apoplexy and fits. 


570 


Absorbents^. 




544 


Appetite, loss of. 


. 374 


Abstinence, 




127 


Appetite, 


553 


Accidents in open carriages 


to 




Apples, to color, 


. 390 


avoid, 


, 


206 


Apples, to keep. 


354 


Accidents, prevention of, 




460 


Apples, to preserve. 


. 11)3 


Accomplishments, 


. 


385 


Apples for hogs, . 


470 


Acids, .... 




120 


Apple fritters, . 


. 331 


Acids, to restore color taken 


out 




Apple trees. 


304 


by, ... . 




59 


Apple water. 


. 242 


Acquaintances after marriage, . 


518 


April, .... 


183 


Agreeableness, 




500 


April sh-owers. 


. 455 


Agric::Uur.e, hints about, . 


265 


463 


Arras and polished met 


a1, to 


Agriculture, important fact. 




206 


keep from rust, 


. 24 


Air, its effects on life, 




676 


Arnica, extract of, 


115 


Air, city. 




678 


Aromatic vinegar. 


. 148 


Air, country, 




677 


Arrow-root, 


239 


Air-bath, 




436 


Arrow-root jelly, 


. 240 


Alabaster, to clean, . 




31 


Arsenic, 


120 


Alabaster, marble, or stone, 


to 




Arsenic, to detect, 


. 192, 619 


stain, .... 




417 


Artichoke, 


476 


Alcohol, 




120 


Artificial flowers. 


. 486 


Alder, advantages of. 




265 


Arts, elegant and ingeniou 


s, 385 


Alkalescent drinks, 




242 


Ash color. 


. 3S6 


Alkalies, .... 




120 


Asparagus, 


47& 


Alteratives, . 




544 


Assafoetida, 


. 553 


Alum Avater, 




389 


Asses, to color. 


890 


Alum whey, 




247 


Asthma, 


. 385, 623 


Ammonia, 




120 


Asthma, to relieve. 


103 


Ammoniated anodyne, . 




550 


August, 


. 185 


Anagrams, 




730 


Authors, advice to. 


659 


Anemones, to paint, 




391 


Aviaries, . 


. 614 


A ngdo- Japanese work, 




166 






Animal food, 




599 


B. 




Anodyne and discutient . 




550 






Ant;(l(»!es and poisons. 




120 


Bacon in summer, 


. 4 70 


Ants, to destroy. 




85 


Baldness, to prevent. 


6 I I 


Ant.< and wasps, to destroy, 




85 


Balls and evening ])artics. 


. 5o:) 


Aperient for (hildren. 




100 


Balls, to make brectdus. 


03 



(703) 



Balls for removing spots, to 


make, 


63 


Balsamics, 


. 545 


Baltimoro oriole, 


643 


Bandages, 


. 563 


Bandages, circular, 


564 


Bandages, various, 


. 565 


Barnfloors, to make durable, 315 


Bark, dog-wood, 


. 243 


Bark, wild cherry, 


243 


Barley water, . 


. 245 


Bathe, time to, . . 


539 


Bathing, advantages of. 


. 125 


Baths and bathing. 


124, 538 


Bathing tubs, 


. 539 


Baths for children. 


540 


Baths, tepid and cold. 


. 539 


Bath, vapor, at home, . 


250 


Batter, French, 


. 332 


Batter pudding. 


332 


Bay color, 


. 386 


Beans, . . . 


476 


Beans, to color, 


. 390 


Bed, to heat. 


439 


Bed clothes, hints about 


, . 17, 536 


Bed furniture, &c., to wash, 51 


Bed-room linen, 


. 155 


Bed-rooms, scouring, 


10 


Bed-rooms, to clean. 


9 


Beds, making, &c.. 


254 


Bee or wasp, sting of, 


. 123 


Beech-tree leaves, 


17 


Beef, as food, 


. 365 


Beef, essence of, . 


377 


Beef, roasting. 


. 600 


Beer, 


609 


Beer, keeping. 


. 258 


Beer, to prevent growing flat, 350 


Beer, to recover sour, 


. 351 


Beer, table, to make. 


351 


Bees, 


. 467 


Bees, to manage. 


176 


Bees, to preserve. 


. 317 


Bees, to remove, . 


316 


Beetles, to destroy, , 


. 276 


Beets, 


476 


Beets, &G., to preserve z 


ill winter, 273 


Bella don a, . * . 


120 


Beverages, 


. 608 


Beverages, spring. 


611 


Bile, remedy for, 


. 625 


Bile and bilious compla 


ints, 553 


Bilious disorders, 


. 625 


Binding, 


154 


BirdiimC; 


. 644 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



Birds, 

Birds, sick,^ 

Birds, beasts, &c., to preserve, 

Birds, shot, to preserve, 

Birds in water colors, 

Birth marks. 

Biscuit, to preserve. 

Biscuits, cheap ginger, 

Biscuits, pic-nic, 

.Bite of venomous animals, . 

Biting the nails. 

Black, to color, 

Black paper for patterns. 

Black reviver 

Black silk, to dip, 

Blackberries, 

Blacking, celebrated for boots, 
&c., ..... 

Blacking, good, 

Blacking, liquid, . 

Blacking for leather seats. 

Blankets, . . 

Bleaching liquid. 

Bleaching straw. 

Bleeding at the nose. 

Bleeding from a cut, to stop. 

Blisters, to apply. 

Blisters, management of. 

Blond lace. 

Blood, taking, 

Blood, the, is the life, 

Blue, light. 

Boards, to give a beautiful ap- 
pearance to, . . . 

Boards, to scour. 

Boards or stone, to extract oil 
from, .... 

Body in fiaraes, 

Boils, to cure, . 

Bone dust, 

Bone or ivory, to stain, 

Bonnets, straw. 

Bonnets, straw and cheap, to dye. 

Books and accounts. 

Books, to preserve, . 

Books or prints, to clean. 

Books, to choose. 

Boots, . . ■ . 

Boots and shoes. 

Boots and shoes, to clean, ^ . 

Boots and shoes, to prevent snow 
water, &g., 

Boots, water-proof, . 

Boot tops, to clean brown, 

Borax, uses of, 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



T05 



Borecole, .... 476 

Botanical specimens, . . 408 

Bottles, to cleanse, . . 31 

Bottling, 340 

Bowel complaints, . . 615 

Bowels, pain in, . . » 224 

Braiding, . . . . 155 

Braudied peaches, . . . 320 

Brandy and salt, . . . 617 

Brandy cherries, . . t 320 

Brass and copper, to clean, . 26 

Brass ornaments, to clean, . 26 

Bread, .590 

Bread, cheap, .... 595 

Bread, to discover if adulterated, 356 

Bread, to keep, . , • 593 

Bread, Indian, . . . 592 

Bread, pulled, .... 594 

Bread, rye and Indian, , 593 

Bread, unfermented. . . 336 

Bread crumbs, white, . • 327 

Bread, sippets of, . • 326 

Bread-pans, to clean, . . 258 

Bread poultice, . , . Tl'd 
Breadths of light, . . .393 
Breakfast, . . . .368 

Breakfast, making, . . . 253 

Breakfast, cold meats at, . 253 

Breakfast, neatness in, . . 252 

Breakfast-room, work in, . 252 
BreiUh, for the, . . .103 

Breath, bad from onions, . 146 
Breath, bad, remedy for, . .119 

Breath, offensive, . . 625 

Brewing, cheap method of, . 351 

Brewis, .... 445 
Brittannia, tins, &c., polishing 

paste for, .... 27 

Brittannia, to clean, . . 27 

Brocoli, .... 477 

Bronzed chandeliers, <fcc., . 4':j8 

Bruises or contusions, . 115 

Bruises and inflammations, . 571 

Bruise or sprain, . , 233 
Brussels sprouts, . . .476 

Budding, .... 480 

Buckwheat, utility of, . . 269 

Bugs, to destroy, . . 87 

Bugs, 620 

Bugs and worms, to destroy, 276 

Building, .... 310 

Buildings, to color, . . 393 

Bulbous roots, .... 179 

Bullfinch, .... 642 

Bunion, inflamed, . . . 618 
45 



Bunions, to cure, . . 97 

Burning, to protect children from, 52 



Burns, .... 


109 


Burns and scalds, . 109, 110, 616 


Burns, to cure, . . ' . 


442 


Butter, . . . .28 


7, 357 


Butter, hints about, 


456 


Butter, bad, .... 


605 


Butter, improved method. 


288 


Butter, to cure a bad tub of. 


358 


Butter, salt, to make fresh, . 


358 


Butter or milk, to remove the 




taste of turnips from, 


358 


Butter as diet, .... 


367 


Butterflies and moths, . 


482 


Butterfly's wings, to take impres- 


sions of, . . . 


169 


C. 
Cabbage, .... 


477 


Cabbage water. 


• 258 


Cake, common black. 


590 


Cake, composition, 


596 


Cake, loaf. 


597 


Cake, maize, 


596 


Cake, sponge, .... 


597 


Calcareous deposits in boilers. 


620 


Calico furniture, to clean. 


10 


Calico furniture, to wash. 


51 


Calves, to rear, • . 


286 


Calves' feet jelly, • 


376 


Camera Lucida, a new. 


169 


Camphor mixture, 


246 


Camphorated ointment. 


549 


Canary birds, . . 17 


5, 641 


Canary, to teach to sing, 


. 641 


Cancer, .... 


617 


Candle, to make, <fcc.. 


35 


Candle, blowing out a. 


34 


Candle snufis, use of. 


32 


Candles, .... 


43'> 


Candles, economy in. 


. 622 


Candles, plain hints about. 


34 


Candles and lamps. 


215 


Candles and lamps, spirting. 


450 


Candlesticks, cleansing, 


. 262 


Cane-chairs, <fcc., to clean, 2 


2, 439 


Canker, or sore mouth. 


. 232 


Canker-worm, 


4S4 


Carbonic acid gas. 


. 676 


Carbuncles, .... 


618 


Cardinal Grosbeak, . 


. 642 


Cardoon, .... 


477 


Carefulness, 


. 211 



706 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



Carminatives, 


545 


Champagne, summer. 


. 611 


Carnations, laying, . 


293 


Change of apparel. 


457 


Carpets, brown, green, and red. 


449 


Charade, .... 


. 658 


Carpets, economy in, 


449 


Charcoal, .... 


121 


Carpets, to beat, . 


11 


Charcoal, to prevent ill efifectJ 


, . 41 


Carpets, to clean. 


. 10 


Charcoal, hints about. 


460 


Carpets, Turkey, to clean, 


11 


Charcoal fumes. 


. 437 


Carpets, to sweep. 


447 


Charcoal powder. 


445 


Carpets, to wash. 


362 


Charlotte Russe, 


. 331 


Carriage, to clean. 


. 44 


Cheap carpeting. 


11 


Carriers, common, laws for, . 


683 


Cheerfulness, 


. 212 


Carrots, .... 


447 


Cheese, coloring for. 


359 


Carrots, <fec., to keep, . 


273 


Cheese curd. 


. 329 


Carrots, utility of. 


. 286 


Cherry tree gum. 


118 


Carrot-seeds, <fec.. 


271 


Cherries, to color. 


. 390 


Carracrol for toothache, . 


. 94 


Chervil, .... 


477 


Cashmere, to clean. 


62 


Chess, laws of. 


. 425 


Casking, 


. 339 


Chestnuts for dessert, . 


338 


Casks, to sweeten. 


340 


Chickens, to fatten. 


. 201 


Cataplasm, alum. 


. 238 


Chicken water, 


376 


Cataplasm, salt. 


238 


Chickweed or salad, 


. 644 


Caterpillars, to destroy, 195, 27 


7, 278 


Chilblains, lotion for, . 


97 


Caterpillars, 


274 


Ciiilblains, remedy for. 


. 97 


Caterpillars, ants, &c., . i 


56, 481 


Chilblain liniment. 


98 


Cathartics, .... 


645 


Children, amusement for. 


. 665 


Cats, .... 


. 646 


Children, dress of. 


662 


Cattle, .... 


466 


Children, young. 


. 217 


Cattle in winter, 


. 289 


Children, to arrange for. 


253 


Cauliflower, 


477 


Chimaphila, 


. 549 


Cautions, 


. 203 


Chimneys, fires in. 


203 


Cautions in visiting the sick. 


234 


Chimneys, smoky. 


313, 440 


Celandine, 


. 235 


Chimneys, to sweep with 


out 


Celery, .... 


477 


children, 


. 41 


Celery, essence of, 


. 191 


Chimneys, to color the backs 


of, 24 


Celery, to keep. 


355 


Chimneys, stone, to blacken. 


. 24 


Cellars and outhouses. 


. 88 


China, to clean. 


31 


Cement and ground-glass imita 




China, to mend. 


. 69 


tion, . . 


. 69 


China, to cement. 


70 


Cement, to resist fire and water 


, 69 


China and glass ware. 


. 462 


Cement, bottle, . . 70, ' 


ri, 359 


Chinese method of mending 


Cement, blood, 


71 


china, 


. 70 


Cement, diamond. 


. 71 


Chintz, to wash, . 


52- 


Cement for metal and glass, , 


71 


Chloride of lime, to use. . 


. 92 


Cement for iron flues, 


. 72 


Chocolate, Iceland moss. 


608 


Cement for alabaster, &c., 


72 


Choke damp, 


679 


Cement, strong. 


. 73 


Choking, 


. 569 


Cerate of cantharidea . 


238 


Cholera, prevention of. 


556 


Ceremonies, 


. 500 


Chowder, New England^ 


. 323 


Cesspools, oiFensive, 


679 


Church-yards, 


234 


Chalk mixture, . . .1 


08, 246 


Cider in bottles, to cork, . 


. 350 


Chalk ointment, . 


549 


Cinnamon, 


214 


Chambers of the sick, to purifj 


r, 91 


Cisterns, lead, . 


. 43 


Chamomile flowers. 


195 


Cleanliness, 


457 


Chamomile tea, 


. 117 


Cleanliness, effects on anima 


Is, 460 


Chamomile and orange peel, 


243 


Cleanliness in houses, effect 


of, 460 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



707 



Climate, .... 


, 


542 


Cliver, to make, 




375 


Clocks, to oil, . 


, 


439 


Closets, to free from moths, 




43 G 


Cloth, &G., to paint. 


, 


177 


Clothes, to brush. 




440 


Clothes, to prevent odor in, 


, 


441 


Clothes bags, 




157 


Clothes lines, 


, 


263 


Clothes posts. 




88 


Clothing for children, 




218 


Clouds, to color, . 


386; 


393 


Coach- wheels, . 


, 


45 


Coals, .... 




216 


Coal fire, to light. 


, 


40 


Coat, white or drab, to clean^ 




62 


Cockroaches, &c., to destroy. 


, 


85 


Cocoa, 




•352 


Cod-liver oil, 


'442, 


612 


Coffee, 


189, 


608 


Coffee, Turkish method, 


, 


352 


Coffee, substitute for, 




352 


Colds, 


'1O6, 


231 


Cold, effects of, . 




451 


Cold, to remove, &c., 


, 


461 


Colds, to avoid, 




616 


Cold in the head, 




106 


Cold cream. 


135; 


624 


Colic in infants, 


, 


225 


Cologne water, 




346 


Coloring clothing, 


, 


360 


Coloring, general rules for. 




362 


Coloring for rooms, cheap. 


. 


36 


Colors and complexions. 




485 


Colors, mixed, directions for 


y , 


386 


Colors, water. 




385 


Colors, to prevent cracking, 


, 


388 


Colors, most useful, 




392 


Colors for Grecian painting. 


, 


398 


Color to silk, to restore. 




441 


Columbo root and ginger, 


, 


243 


Combs, &c., to clean. 




54 


Complexion, 


133 


, 625 


Complexion, to improve, 




132 


Composition, blue. 


. 


360 


Composition, to prevent iron 


&C.; 




from rusting. 


, 


24 


Composition for washing in 


sea- 




Avator, 




52 


Composition for colored draw- 




ings, <fcc.. 




168 


Composition, cheap and excellent 


, 315 


Compresses, 


, 


562 


Compresses, pierced, 


, 


563 


Concussions, 


. 


669 



Condiments, 

Conduct, Mrs. Fry's rules of. 

Contusions or bruises. 

Conundrums, 

Conversation, 

Convulsions, 

Cookmaid, duties of, 

Cookmaid, of the. 

Copper and brass, to clean. 

Copper in liquids, to detect. 

Coral, .artificial. 

Cordial, julep, 

Cordials, 

Corks, improved, 

Corn, 

Corn, to feed. 

Corn, to dry, 

Corn, green. 

Corn oysters, 

Corn salad. 

Corns on the feet. 

Corns, to prevent. 

Corns, to cure. 

Corn solvent. 

Corns, soft, to cure, 

Corns and warts. 

Corpulence, 

Corroborates, 

Corrosive sublimate, 

Costiveness, 

Cotton, carded, 

Cotton, to dye buff. 

Coughs, for common, 

Coughs, winter, 

Cough and hoarseness, 

Cough, white mixture for. 

Cough, troublesome, 

Coughs, children's^ 

Cough, hacking, 

Cough, for a. 

Cough syrup. 

Counterpanes, to wash. 

Court plaster, . 

Courtship and marriage, 

Covers, hints about, 

Cows, .... 

Cows, feeding with sainfoin. 

Cows, feeding with parsnips. 

Cows, proper food lor. 

Cows, milch. 

Cows, rules for milking, . 

Cows, to prevent bad habits. 

Cows to milk, . 

Cramp, 

Cramp in bathing. 



368 

532 

115 

430 

526 

226 

251 

251 

26 

192, 619 

170 

247 

545 

70 

464 

470 

194 

337 

337 

477 

96 

96 

96 

96 

97, 615 



708 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



Cramp and spasm, 




374 


Dirt in the eye, 




572 


Crape, black, to remove water 




Discolorations of the skin. 


, 


93 


stains from, 




619 


Diseases of the skin, 




457 


Cream, .... 


, 


357 


Dishes, washing. 




256 


Cream, substitute for, 190, 


352, 


608 


Dish-covers, cleansing, 




259 


Cream in long voyages, 


. 


192 


Disinfecting liquid, , 


, 


93 


Creosote, 




121 


Dogs, pet, . . . . 




645 


Cress, .... 




477 


Domestic hints. 


, 


462 


Crickets, to destroy, 


85, 


440 


Door, creaking. 




468 


Crockery and glass, 




33 


Door-mats, cheap. 




444 


Croup, 




227 


Door-plates, to clean, . 




28 


Crows, to keep from corn, 


. 


270 


Draining ponds, 


. 


377 


Crust, wine. 




327 


Draughts, game of. 




425 


Crust in the tea-kettle, 


, 


438 


Drawing paper. 


. 


385 


Crystallization upon cinders, 




424 


Drawings, to set pencil, 




171 


Cucumbers, 


295 


477 


Drawings, wash for, . 


, 


171 


Cup-cakes, 


, 


330 


Dress, importance of. 




484 


Curious facts, . 




659 


Dress of ladies, 


. 


484 


Currants, green, to preserve, 




355 


Dress of gentlemen. 




492 


Currant shrub. 


, 


342 


Dress, print, to preserve coloi 


'Of, 


53 


Curry, to prepare a. 


, 


337 


Dress, faded, to bleach, 




53 


Curry, Lord Clive's, 


, 


338 


Dress, print, to wash. 


, ' 


52 


Curry powder, 


, 


337 


Dresses, &c., to iron. 




53 


Cutaneous eruptions in children,- 


232 


Dress-making, 


. 


635 


Cuts and wounds. 


• 


572 


Dressings, . . . , 
Dressing-table, for the. 




560 
138 


D. 






Drinks, 




369 








Drinks, alkalescent. 


, 


242 


Dairy, the. 


, 


357 


Drinks, nutritive. 




244 


Dairy, temperature for. 




287 


Drinks, stimulating, ^ . 


, 


242 


Damp walls. 


, 


16 


Drinks, summer. 




610 


Dampness in beds, 




17 


Drinks, tonic, . 


, 


243 


Dancing, .... 


, 


665 


Drinks for the sick. 




241 


Dandelion, use of. 




271 


Drowning, recovery from, . 


208 


, 209 


Dandelion, 


, 


549 


Drowning, danger of, . 




206 


Danger from fire, 




203 


Drowning, to rescue. 


, 


649 


Daughters, training of, 


, 


667 


Drunkenness, 




569 


Deafness, . . . 




623 


Dry rot, .... 


, 


309 


Deafness, temporary. 


, 


95 


Dry rot in timber, 




309 


Decanters, to clean, 




30 


Ducks, to fatten. 


, 


202 


December, . . 


, 


186 


Ducks and geese, 




201 


Decoctions, , 




649 


Dyeing, .... 


' 74 


,423 


Dentition, 


, 


226 


Dyeing the hair, . 




613 


Dentifrice, a good. 




137 


Dyes, various. 


. 


75 


Depilatory, . . . 


, 


616 


Dysentery, . . 108, 


373 


, 374 


Diaphanic, . . . 




400 


Dyspepsia bread, 


, 


335 


Diarrhea, 


, 


108 








Diet for patients. 




126 


E. 






Dietetic maxims, , , 


, 


628 








Dinner, ... 


369 


,606 


Eagles, to color, 


. 


390 


Dinner parties. 


, 


507 


Ear, diseases in, . 




94 


Dinner, what plates for. 


r 


256 


Ear, pain in, . 


95 


, 615 


Dinner, directions for, 




254 


Ear-ache, 


85 


,233 


Dinner, serving up. 




256 


Ear, sore. 


. 


221 


Dinner-hour, &c., 


. 


255 


Early rising. 




636 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



109 



EarTvigs, kc^ in the ear, . . 95 
Earwigs, &q., to destroy, 279, 482 

Eat slowly, .... 368 

Eau d'Ange, . . . 149 

Eau de Cologne, . . 146, 147 

Ebony, imitation of, . . 36 

Economical hints, . . , 444 
Economicals of cooking meats, 367 
Economics, . . . . 334 

Economy in expenditure. , 212 

Edgings, to plant, <fcc., , .291 
Edgings, box, to cut, . . '283 

Eggs, 468 

Eggs, dyeing, . , , 424 

Eggs in jaundice, , , .100 
Eggs, to preserve, . . . 191 

Eggs of birds, to preserve, . 169 

Egg-plant, .... 478 
Elder, good effects of, . , 274 
Elder flowers, ... 648 

Elephants, to color, . , 390 

Embankments, . , . 266 
Emblematic stones, . . .415 
Embroidery, silk, . . 162, 163 

Endive, . . . * . .477 
Enemas, .... 551 

Enigmas, .... 656 

Ermine and Miniver, to clean, 54 

Eruptions, cutaneous, . . 555 
Erysipelas, cure for, . . 99 

Essences from flowers, ' . , 147 
Etchings on glass-, . , 415 

Etiquette, rules of, . . .501 
Eveuing pastime, . . 429 

Exercise, .... 640 

Extracts, .... 552 

Eye, dirt or lime in, , . 672 

Eye, iron or steel in, . . 672 
Eye, black, to cure, . . 625 

Eye, bruised to cure, . . 94 
Eye, cold or inflammation in, 94 

Eyes, sore, . . . . 221 

Eye-water, . . . 93, 618 

Eye-brows, to darken, , 130 

F. 

Fainting, or syncope, . 234, 539 

Fainting, remedy for, . . 99 

Family at home, . . . 590 
Family tables, . . . 699 

Fard, 136 

Farmers, hints to, . 198, 461 

Farms, small, .... 463 
Feathers, to clean of their oil, 18, 423 



Feathers and hair, to dye green, 77 

Feathers, to dye, . . . 405 

Feathers, white, to clean, . 441 

Feather flowees, . . . 403 

Febrifuges, .... 647 

Feet,^ 250 

Feet, cold and damp, . . 104 

Feet, frostbitten, . . 618 

Feet, sore, . . . . 250 

Feet, wet, .... 451, 

Feet, wounded, . . . 233 

Feet, to keep warm, . . 439 

Felon, 109 

Fences, .... 464 

Fermentation, to check, . . 342 

Fertilizing soils, . . . 465 

Fevers, . . . . ^ . Ill 

Fevers, cause of, . , *. 467 
Fever and ague, . . .Ill 

Fevers, beverage for, . . 112 
Fever, scarlet, . . . .112 

Fever, yellow, . . . lU 

Fields, 464 

Fig paste, . . . . 108 
Figures, to color, . . . 393 
Figures, curious properties of, 679 
Filtering bag, .... 341 
Filth in streets, . . . 458 
Fire, preservation from, . . 203 
Fire in chimneys, . , 203 
Fire, means of extinction, . 203 
Fire, to escape from., . 204, 438 
Fire, to make water more effica- 
cious, &c., . . . 204 
Fire, to extinguish speedily, . 204 
Fire, to escape from a house on, 205 
Fire, clothing on, . . . 205 
Fire, horses from, . . 205 
Fire, to make, . . .216 
Fire, taking care of, , • 261 
Fires, stoves, <fec., . . " . 42 
Fire, to revive a dull, . . 42 
Fire-balls, .... 41 
Fire-irons, to prevent rusting, 23 
Fire-places, to improve, . . 313 
Fire-screens, paper, . . 439 
Fire-wood, . . . .471 
Fi.-^h, gold and silver, . 176, 644 
Fish as food, .... 365 
Fi.'^h, Russian method of pre- 
serving, . . . .318 
Fishing-rods, to preserve, . 378 

Fits, 99 

Flannels, to prevent shrinking, 48 

Flannels, to scour, . . 43 



no 



ALPHABETICA INDEX. 



Flannels, to wash, 


48 


Flat-irons, the hot, 


450 


Fleas, to drive away, 


85 


Fleas, <fec., to destroy, , 


87 


Fleas on dogs, .... 


279 


Flies, to destroy, . 84, 437^ 


619 


Flies, to keep off, . . 84 


443 


Flies, to keep from drawings, 


389 


Floors, artificial stone, 


310 


Floor or oil-cloths. 


12 


Floor-cloths, to clean, 


12 


Flounces, .... 


488 


Flour, to test, .... 


591 


Flour, boiled. 


210 


Flour of brimstone, . 


612 


Flowers, to paint. 


391 


FlOAvors, |o preserve in water. 


176 


Flowers in winter. 


175 


Flowers, dried. 


177 


Flowers, faded, to revive. 


177 


Flowers, hints about. 


179 


Flowers, when to plant, 


197 


Flowers, 


470 


Flowers, sentiments of, 


669 


Fly, turnip, .... 


464 


Fly, water, .... 


84 


Fodder, 


471 


Folding and mangling. 


263 


Food for children, . . 219 


, 239 


Food for the sick, <fcc., . 


239 


Foot, rot in sheep, 


290 


Force, . . . • . 


393 


Fowls, hints about, . 


468 


Freckles, ... 132 


]33 


Freckles and sunburn. 


134 


French polish for boots, &c., 


80 


French polish for furniture, 


19 


French receipt for the skin, . * 


134 


Frost, to prevent injuring trees. 


302 


Fruits, 


480 


Fruits, to keep, . . 193 


484 


Fruit trees and fruit. 


484 


Fruit trees, Chinese, <fcc.. 


302 


Fruit trees infected with blight, 


304 


Fruit in water colors. 


390 


Fuel, economy in, . . 40 


, 447 


Fungi, to preserve, . 


410 


Furniturer to clean, 


462 


Furniture oil, .... 


19 


Furniture paste. 


19 


Furs, to clean. 


442 


Furs, to stretch, 


443 


Furs, to preserve. 


443 


Furs and woollens, to preserve, 


78 



G. 

Game, to preserve, . . .318 
Gardening, &c,, . . 291, 472 
Gargles, .... 107, 552 
Gargle, common, . , 246 

Gargle, detergent, . . .245 
Gargle, rose, ... 245 

Garlic, use of, <fec., . . • 279 
Garlic, useful properties, . ^ 235 
Gathering, <fcc., . . .153 

Geese, Cobbett's method, . 201 

Geese, to color, . . . 392 

Gentian-root infusion, . 244 

Geraniums, .... 180 

Gilding, to improve, . . 72 

Gilding, oil and water, . .168 
Gilding, to preserve, &c. . 18 

Gilt or lacquered articles, to 

clean, . . . .28 

Gilt frames, . . . .628 
Ginger, to preserve, . . 319 

Gingerbread, .... 330 
Ginger cake, . . . 596 

Ginger snaps, o .... 330 
Glass vessels, to cleanse, . 439 
Glass, to break, - . . . 462 
Glass or china, to pack, , 628 

Glass, to cut, . . . . 378 
Glass, to remove crust from, 31 

Glasses, to clenn, . . .30 
Glasses, to res OiC lustre of, . 31 

Glass stoppers, to loosen, . 32, 620 
Glass and crockery, . . 33 

Glass, &G,, to cement, . . 70 
Glnss jars, to make look like 

china, ..... 155 
Glazed vessels, ... 32 

Gloves, light kid, to clean, . 65 
Gloves, kid, to clean, . . 627 

Gloves, to clean, ... 65 
Gloves, washing, ... 65 

Gloves, thread, to wash, . . 50 
Gloves, to dye, . , . 76 

Gloves, .... 489, 492 

Glues 67, 68 

Glue paste, . . . .620 

Gold, to cleanse, ... 26 

Gold chains, to clean, . . 71 
Gossiping, . . . .• 665 

Gout and rheumatism, . . 105 
Gout, rheumatism, lumbago, <tc., 101 
Grafting, .... 195, 480 
Grafting, composition, for, . 480 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



7U 



Grain, important discovery, 
Grain, to preserve, 
Grain, musty, . 
Granaries, mites in. 
Granaries, poplar, <fcc., 
Grapes, to color. 
Grapes, to keep, 
Grass, . 
Grass, to color, 
Grass, rye, 
Grass, striped. 
Grasses and mosses, 
Grates, to clean. 
Gravel-walks, 
Gravies, of using, 
Grease or wax spots. 
Grease from silks. 
Grease or paint from cloth. 
Grease from clothes, . 
Grease from books. 
Grease from paper, . 
Grease from leather, 
Grease for wheels, 
Grecian painting, 
Grecian varnish, 
Green, a cheap, Ac, 
Green paint, 
Green, to color. 
Greenhouse, 

Ground-glass, to imitate, 
Grubs, ... 

Gruels, 
Gruel, egg, 
Gum-boils, 
Gum-water, 
Gutta-percha soles, 

H. 



Hail, .... 

Hair, 

Hair, new method for. 

Hair, to dress, 

Hair, curling fluid for the, 

Hair, to prevent falling out. 

Hairs, to avoid grey. 

Hair, to soften, &c,, 

Hair, to improve. 

Hair, superfluous, to remove. 

Hair wash, economical. 

Hair powder, 

Hair dyes, 

Hair brushes, <fcc., to clean, . 

Hair and feathers, to dye green. 

Hair pencils, ' ; 



kc, 271 


Hair, color, .... 


387 


272 


Hall, cleaning the, 


253 


. 464 


Kams, curing, .... 


324 


272 


Hams and fish, to smoke. 


324 


. 31G 


Handkerchief, .... 


490 


390 


Hands, .... 


490 


192, 353 


Hands, camphor cerate for. 


143 


471 


Hands, paste for, 


143 


. 393 


Hands, to prevent perspiration. 


143 


267 


Hands, to remove stains from, 


144 


. 267 


Hands, to whiten,^ 


143 


424 


Hand-bath, . ^. 


539 


2 


Hanging, . ... 


570 


292 


Hardware and cutlery, to prevent 




. 367 


rusting, .... 


25 


55 


Hares and rabbits, . 


303 


. 59 


Harness, to clean, 


45 


62 


Harness-makers' jet, 


45 


. 435 


Hashes, 


603 


63 


Hat, . . . . 438, 


493 


. 63 


Hats, to preserve. 


436 


64 


Hat, to scour. 


73 


. 470 


Hat, straw, to bleach. 


66 


397 


Hats, to prevent injury from rain 




. 397 


to, ..... 


74 


38 


Hazel nuts, .... 


192 


. 37 


Head, do no not shave the, 


128 


361 


Head, scald, 


221 


. 291 


Head, sore, .... 


221 


69 


Heads, .... 


688 


489, 492 


Headache in bed. 


436 


241 


Headache, sick. 


614 


. 241 


Headache, sure remedy, . 


624 


94 


Health, preservation of, 89, 


533 


. 619 


Health and beauty, . 


89 


83 


Health and wealth, 


533 




Health, general, 


542 




Health in winter. 


234 




Health, a few rules for, . » . 


370 


. 452 


Health of animals. 


289 


128 


Heartburn, .... 


623 


. 624 


Hedges, . . . . 


291 


489 


Hem and hemming. 


152 


129, 130 


Hemorrhage, 


152 


129 


Hen-house, .... 


468 


. 129 


Hens, to make lay, 


202 


130 


Herbs, aromatic, . .194 


, 479 


. 131 


Herbs, to dry,. . . 194 


, 473 


132 


Herbs, uses of, ... 


474 


. 131 


Herbs, winter, 


195 


131 


Hic-cough, .... 


108 


. 130 


High shoulders. 


663 


54 


Hills, to color, .... 


393 


en, 77 


Hinges, creaking, 


22 


385 


History, synopsis of American, 


692 



712 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



Hoarseness, . , . 106 

Hogs, 467 

Hollow horn, ... 469 

Home counsels, . . . 652 

Home and its employments, . 9 

Home industry, • . , , 635 

Home pursuits, . . . 151 

Homestead, exemption, . . 684 

Honey soap, . . . 146 

Honey water, . . . .142 

Honeysuckles, to pf<nt, . 391 

Hooker's method, &o., . . 378 

Horn, to stain, . • . 418 

Horse, to manage, , . .198 

Horse, to dress,. . . . 199 

Horse, to judge, . . . 652 

Horses, scratches, on, . . 467 

Horses, hints about, . . 461 
Horses, to paint, . . 389, 390 

Horse-flies, . . . .200 

Horse-radish, . . . 321 

Iforse-chestnut soap, . . 50 
Hortus siccus, . . . 484 

Hot water, uses of, . . . 125 

House-cleaning, ... 9 

Houses, to paint, . . . 381 

Houses, to purify, . . 88 

House, selection of, , . . 525 

Household management, . 606 
Household maxims, ... 43 

Hungary water, . . . 141 

Hydrophobia, . . . .123 

Hypocras, .... 348 
Hysteric affections, . . 371, 569 

I. 

Idiosyncrasy, . . . .543 
Impressions from coins, . 412 

Impressions of plants, . . 181 
Incense, curious cakes, . 147 

Indian ink, . . . 175, 385 

Infants, management of, . 217 
Infants, medicines for, , . 220 
Infection, to prevent, . . 91 

Influenza, • . . . 102 

Ink, to make, ' . 172, 173, 174 

Ink, indelible, . . . .172 
Ink, black and blue, . . 622 

Ink powder, .... 74 
Ink, Indian, . . 175, 385 

Ink, China, .... 175 
Ink-stains, . . 57, 58 

Ink-stains from silver, . .619 
Ink-stains from wood, . 620 



Insects, to destroy, . , . 277 
Insects on apple trees, . 277, 280 
Insects, on fruit trees, . . 288 
Insects in bird cages, . . 644 

Insects and earth-worms, . 277 

Insects and weasels, . . 468 

Irish cordial, .... 350 
Iron, to stain black, <fec., . 419 
Iron, new, .... 446 

Irons, to preserve from rust, 24 

Iron-moulds, .... 56 
Iron nails in fruit trees, . 304 

Ironing, . . . .263 

Itch, ointment. for, . . 650 

Ivory, to bleach, . . .31 

Ivory or bone, to stain, . 417 



Jambalayd, .... 322 

January and Febuary, . 182 

Japanned candlesticks, . . 38 

Jaundice, . . . . 615 

Jaundice, infantile, . . . 224 

Java sparrows, . . . 642 

Jelly made with gelatine, . 598 

Jelly, nourishing, . . 240 

Jelly, rice, .... 241 

Jelly, apple, . . . 319 
Jessamine butter, . . .139 

Jewels of the months, . . 415 

Johnny cakes, . . . 336 

Joint, stiff, .... 375 

July, 184 

Jumbles, .... 330 

June, 183 

K. 

Kettle, hints about, . . 455 

Kindness, .... 664 

Kitchen, arrangements for, . 252 

Kitchen cloths, ... 87 

Kitchen, economy in, . • . 253 

Kitchen paper, . . . 216 
Kitchen garden, . . .291 

Knife-boards, ... 29 

Knives and forks, to,clean, 28, 261 

Knives, cleaning, . 261, 629 

Knives and forks, to refasten, 29 



Lace, blond, .... 61 
Lace, gold or silver, . . 72 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



713 



Lace, white, to wash, 


58, 


626 


Linen rags, . 


446 


Lacquer, to clean. 




34 


Liniments, 


. 550 


Lamps, to clean, 


. 


34 


Linings, &c., to dye. 


76 


Lamps, economical wick for, 




34 


Linnet, or finch. 


. 613 


Lamps, to prevent, &c., 


. 


104 


Linseed poultice, . 


113 


Lamps, to prevent smoking. 


. 


441 


Linseed tea. 


. 117 


Lamps and candles. 


. 


215 


Lint, . . . 


561 


Lamp oil, the best, 




439 


Lint, scraped, . 


. 562 


Land, wet, 


. 


471 


Lions, to color, 


389 


Landscapes in water colors, 




392 


Lips, chapped. 


. 146 


Laudanum, 


. 


121 


Lips, paste for, 


146 


Lavender, oil of. 




622 


Lip salve. 


. 146, 619 


Lavender, vinegar, . 


. 


148 


Lockjaw, to prevent, 


375, 612 


Lavender water, . 




141 


Logwood, 


. 549 


Laws, .... 


. 


682 


Looking-glass, to clean. 


18, 438 


Laxatives, . . 108, 


547; 


551 


Lotions, 


. 548 


Lead, .... 


, 


121 


Love's telegraph. 


512 


Lead-color, . 




387 


Lumbago, 


. 615 


Leaf impressions, . 176, 


410, 


411 


Lunar caustic, 


121 


Leanness, 




120 


Lungs, development of. 


. 537 


Leap year, . . , 


. 


673 


Lungs, to ascertain, <fec., 


553 


Leather cases, to clean^ 




54 




' 


Leather, old, oiling, . 


, 


45 


M. 




Leather work, ornamental, 




422 




Leather, enamelled, to polish 


, 


628 


Macassar oil. 


. 139 


Leaves, skeleton. 




409 


Magazines to be read, . 


384 


Leaves, Avhen to collect, . 




306 


Mahogany, to darken, 


. 35 


Leaf-lice, 




484 


Mahogany, to restore, &c.. 


621 


Leeches, .... 


'lOl 


570 


Mahogany, to give any, <fec., . 35 


Lemonade, 


242 


349 


Mahogany, to remove ink from, 21 


Lemonade, Italian, . 


, 


349 


Maid, 


. 210 


Lemon juice, to purify. 




192 


Making beds. 


17 


Length of day and night, to 


as- 




Management of infants. 


. 217 


certain. 




673 


Manners, 


494 


Letter writing, 


, 


660 


Manure, to preserve, 


. 266 


Letters, to gild. 




378 


Manure, . . 266, 465, 468 


Lettuce, .... 


, 


478 


Many things, ". 


. 319 


Lettuce, to keep, . 




355 


Maps or prints, to mount. 


. . 168 


Ley, dyspeptic. 


. 


242 


Marble, to clean. 


14, 15 


Life-belts, 




648 


Marble, to take out stains. 


15 


Lightning, stroke of, 


*208 


, 570 


Marble, to, books, &c.. 


. 382 


Lightning, to avoid, 




460 


Marble, artificial. 


86 


Lime, .... 


, 


464 


March, 


. 182, 453 


Lime for cottage walls, 




37 


Marking, 


154 


Lime in the eye, 


, 


572 


Marking ink. 


. 17» 


Lime and oil. 




551 


Marl, limestones, <tc., . 


266 


•Lime and oil camphorated. 


, 


551 


Marriage ceremony. 


. 513 


Lime water, , 


116 


,247 


Marriage, after. 


520 


Lime water. 


389 


, 594 


Maxims and morals, 


. 632 


Linen, to bleach, 




57 


May, .... 


183 


Linen, house, <fec.. 


, 


157 


Mayonnaise, 


. 322 


Linen, to perfume. 




148 


Mead, rod and white. 


316 


Linen, to take stains out of, 


, 


54 


Mead, rich. 


. 315 


Linen, scorched, . 




55 


Measles, 


372 


Linen, to restore, <fec., 


. 


55 


Meat for children. 


. 307 



tl4 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



Meats, cooking, 


601 


Mustard, 


326, 478 


Meats, preserving, . . 60], 


604 


Mustard, French, 


321 


Mechanic^, &c., hints to, 


630 


Mustard, mild. 


. 326 


Medicine, administering, . 237 


543 


Mustard plasters. 


375 


Medicines in traveling. 


118 


Mustard poultices, . 


. 112 


Medicines, precautions in, 


559 


Mutton, 


367 


Melons, . . . 295, 


478 






Mending, .... 


157 


N. 




Merinoes, &g., to clean, 


60 






Metal kettles, &c.. 


29 


Nails, for preserving the, 


. 144 


Mice, 


276 


Nails, to whiten. 


144 


Mildew out of linen, 


56 


Nankeen dye, . 


. 77 


Mildew, 


483 


Nankeen color, to make, 


361 


Milk, baked. 


190 


Napkins, dinner, 


. 157 


Milk, morning's, 


447 


Naples' soap. 


145 


Milk of ro.^es, 


140 


Narcotics, 


. 547 


Milk vessels, . . • . 


258 


Nasturtium, 


478 


Mince-meat, 


335 


Naturalization laws, 


. 686 


Miniver and Ermine, 


54 


Nausea, 


614 


Mint tea, .... 


117 


Nectar, . . . 


. 346 


Miscellaneous receipts, . 319 


615 


Neighbors and spectators. 


204 


Mistress, .... 


210 


Nettle sting, 


. 437 


Mixture for stone stairs. 


15 


Neuralgia in the face, . 


93 


Mock turtle, imitation of, 


322 


Newspapers, 


. 383 


Mocking bird. 


643 


Night sweats, 


615 


Molasses, 


338 


Nitrates, . . . . 


. 121 


Molasses, apple, 


338 


Nitre, .... 


117 


Moles, 


134 


Nose, bleeding from. 


. 574 


Monkeys, to color. 


390 


November, 


186 


Moreen curtains, to clean. 


16 


Nurse, qualifications of, , 


. 235 


Morocco shoes, to clean. 


444 


Nurse, rules for, . 


237 


Moss on trees, . . . 


195 


Nutmeg, essence of. 


. 191 


Moth on the skin, 


623 


Nutmeg pudding. 


333 


Mother, . . . .210 


668 


Nutmegs, 


191, 353 


Mother-of-pearl, to clean. 


28 


Nutrients, 


547 


Moths, to prevent . 78, 79 


,437 


Nutritives, 


. 552 


Moths, beetles, &c., . . 


79 






Mould, artificial for plants. 


181 


0. 




Moul'diness, 


193 






Mouse trap. 


2S3 


Oats, to preserve, 


. 272 


Mouth, wash for. 


146 


October 


185 


Mucilage, Gum Arabic, 


555 


Odeur delectable, 


. 149 


Mucilage, starch, 


555 


Odor reviving, 


377 


Mumps, ..... 


372 


Odors, unpleasant. 


. 38 


Mushrooms, 


296 


Oil, .... 


552 


MusH^ooms, to test. 


193 


Oil, to make sweet, . 


. 215 


Mushrooms, when poisonous. 


121 


Oil, neat-foot. 


2]^ 


Mushrooms, to pickle, 


355 


Oil on the hearth, 


. 439 


Mushroom spawn, 


478 


Oil paint, &c., to remove. 


62 


Music, 


655 


Oil paintings, to clean, 


. 39 


Musk, 


148 


Oil-skin coat, to make, 


83 


Muslins, to keep a good color, 


48 


Ointments, 


. 113,114 


Muslins and chintzes, to wash, 


463 


Ointment, invaluable, . 


616 


Musnud for a sofa, . 


161 


Ointment, camphorated, . 


. 549 


Mustaches, . '. . . 


624 


Ointment, chalk, . 


550 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



n5 



Ointment for itch, . • 


550 


Oiuimeiits for scrofula, . 


650 


Ointments and cerates, 


549 


Ointments, to spread, . 


562 


Okra, or gumbo, 


478 


Olive oil, to purify, 


191 


Onion, wild, . . » . 


469 


Onions, .... 276, 


478 


Onions, to cook, 


354 


Onions, to keep, . 


354 


Opium, . . . 121, 549, 


552 


Opodeldoc, liquid, . 


115 


Orange, to color. 


387 


Oranges and lemons, to keep. 


353 


Orangeade, rich. 


349 


Orchard, .... 


302 


Orgeate paste, .... 


349 


Out-houses and cellars, 


88 


Oxalic acid, .... 


121 


Ox-gall, prepared. 


57 


Oxen, ..... 


466 


Oyster gumbo, 


321 


Oyster sausages . . 


323 


P. 
Pads, ..... 


563 


Paint, to clean, . . 13 


,620 


Paint, cheap, .... 


36 


Paint, fresh, to destroy the smell. 


38 


Paint, to extract from woolen, . 


436 


Painting houses, . 


381 


Painting on glass. 


381 


Painting, Grecian, 


398 


Paints, for Grecian, etc., 


398 


Panada, 


327 


Pancakes, .... 


329 


Paper, family, .... 


634 


Paper, room, to choose, 


627 


Paper, black, for patterns. 


170 


Paper, transparent. 


171 


Paper, tracing, .... 


171 


Paper or parchment, to stain. 




178, 417 


, 419 


Paper hangings, to clean. 


12 


Paper or color, to, the walls of 




rooms, .... 


15 


Paper- work and japanned can- 




dlesticks, .... 


33 


Paper, to mnke less combustible. 


203 


Pa[)ier-macbe articles, 


627 


Parciiment glue, . 


68 


Paregorics 


547 


Parlor amusements. 


656 


Parsley, 


478 


Parsley and butter, 


326 



Parsnips, 478 

Parsnips, to keep, . 273, 354 

Paste, almond, .... 140 

Paste for the skin, . . 13G 

Pastes, several, .... 67 

Paste for pies, . . • 595 

Paste-board, <fcc., . . 259 

Pastilles, fumigating, . . 92 

Patchwork, . . , .158 
Patterns, , . . . 158 

Patterns for working in cord, &c., 162 
Peach trees, • ^ • • .471 
Peaches, to color, . . . 391 

Pearls, to restore, &c:, . . 72 
Pearls, white, . , . 141 

Pears, to graft, .... 470 

Pears, to color, . . . 391 
Peas, .... 296, 478 

Peas, sowing in circles, . . 296 

Pepper, .... 214, 478 

Perches, .... 641 

Perfumery, a pleasant, . . 147 
Periodicals .... 384 

Personal matters, . . . 484 
Peruvian bark, . . . 243 

Peruvian bark and valerian, . 243 
Pets, ..... 641 

Pewter, to clean, ... 27 
Pheasants, to color, . , 392 

Phosphoric bottle, . . . 382 
Phosphorous, to make, . . 381 
Phrenology", .... 687 

Pickle, India, . . . 321 
Pickle that will keep, &c., . 324 

Pickle and preserve jars, . 259 

Pic-nic biscuits, . . . 595 

Picture-frames, to retouch, . 19 

Pigs, fattening, .... 290 

Pillow-cases, . . . 156 

Pimples, wash for, . . .135 
Pincushion covers, . . 156 

Piping, ... . . .154 

Plaiting, . . . . 3 55 

Plants, 470 

Plants, to dwarf, . . . 410 

Plants, house, . . , .178 
Plants, succulent, . . 301 

Plants, to air, &c. . . .179 
Plants, to kill vermin on, . 196 

IMants, to propagate, . .196 

Plants, watered, ^&c., . . J 97 

Plants, window, . . .182 

Plants, poisonous, . . 673 

Plasters, blisters, Ac, . ' ^\^, 
Plasters and poultices, . . 238 



716 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



Plaster, adhesive, 
Plaster, mustard, . 
Piaster, spice, . 
Plaster casts, to improve, 
Plaster figures, . 
Plate, to clean, , 
Plate powder, . 
Plow deep. 
Poison, 

Poisons and antidotes, 
Polish for dining-tables, 
Polish and varnish, 
Polished grates, &c., 
Polishing paste, , 
Pomatun3ks, 
Pomade divine. 
Ponds, to keep free, 4c., 
Pork, . . . ' 
Pot-pourri, 
Potatos, 

Potatos, boiling, 
Potatos, to keep, . 
Potatos, to raise, 
Potatos in bleaching, 
Potichomanie, 
Poultice, bark. 
Poultice, bread, 
Poultice, elder-floAver, 
Poultice, linseed; 
Poultice, mush. 
Poultice, mustard. 
Poultice, white bean. 
Poultices, 

Poultice for burns, &c. 
Poultry, 
Pounce, 

Powder, almond, <fec., 
Powers of the mind. 
Preparation for marking. 
Prints or maps, to mount, 
Prints or books, to clean. 
Privies, &g., 
Prunes, stewed, 
Prussic acid. 
Pudding, cheap. 
Pudding, sago and appL 
Pudding, pea, . 
Pudding-cloths, <fec., 
Pumpkin, . 
Pumpkin, to dry, . 
Pumpkin pie, . 
Putty, to dissolve, 



, 


562 




238 


, 


238 




165 




165 


25, 


620 




25 




465 


, 


617 




120 


, 


20 




20 


, 


22 




27 


*138 


139 




139 




285 


366 


469 


, 


141 




605 


, 


354 


194, 


354 




270 




57 


, 


394 




231 


, 


113 




246 


, 


113 




239 


\u, 


55.4 




246 


*653, 


554 




442 


'200, 


602 




378 


*140, 


141 




687 




622 




168 




39 




39 




241 




121 




597 




597 




598 




257 




479 




354 




334 




165 



Q. 



Quicksilver, 


^ 


35 


Quilts, 


. 


155 


Quince seed, mucilage of , 


, 


247 


Quince syrup, 




611 


Quinsy, 


*107 


,230 


R. 






Racahout des Arabes, 




353 


Radishes, 


297 


,479 


Rags, save the . 




264 


Rain, cause of rain. 




452 


Raspberry cakes, 


, 


330 


Raspberry vinegar. 


. 


351 


Rats, . . . 86, 


283 


, 619 


Rats or mice. 


283 


284 


Razor-strop paste 


, 


32 


Razor, strops. 


. 


74 


Reading aloud, . 


, 


652 


Reading in bed. 


, 


438 


Receipts, .... 


, 


686 


Re-cooking, . 




255 


Red gum, .... 


, 


224 


Red lavender drops. 


, 


100 


Reed bird, ... 




643 


Reptiles, to kill, . 




281 


Ptesp in sheep, . 


, 


289 


Pvestorative, . 




240 


Rheumatism and gout. 


. 


101 


Pvheuinatism and lumbago. 


101 


623 


Rheumatism, infusion for, 




244 


Rheumatism, mixture for. 




244 


Rhubarb, 


, 


479 


Rhubarb, garden, . 




293 


Rhubarb, to cure, 




300 


Rhubarb stalks. 




334 


Rhubarb, turkey. 


*299; 


300 


Rice caudle. 




336 


Rice-flour cement, 


, 


621 


Riches, . . 




574 


Rickets, .... 


, 


228 


Riddles, 




656 


Riding, art of, . 


, 


651 


Riding dress. 




650 


Rings, .... 


, 


438 


Ring, to remove a tight. 




621 


Ringworm, . . .98 


,99, 


616 


Road and paths, to color. 




393 


Robes, .... 


, 


48^ 


Robin, . . . 




643 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



Ill 



Rock-cakes, 


. 330 


Rolls, . . . ' . 


335 


Rooms, ventilating, . 


. 260 


Rose-color, to make. 


262 


Roses, to paint, 


. 391 


Roses, spirit and oil of, 


148 


Roses, tincture of. 


. 142 


Rose vinegar. 


351 


Rosewater, 


. 142 


Rosewood, imitation of. 


35 


Rossolis, French, 


. 347 


Rot in sheep. 


290 


Rugs, .... 


. 450 


Running, 


152 


Russet, ^ . 


. 388 


Ruta-baga, , 


471 


Rye, . . . . .. 


. 464 


S. 




Sackatash, . . 


. 337 


Sage, virtues of, . 


116 


Sage and onion stuffing, . 


. 326 


Sage tea. 


117, 244 


Sago, .... 


. 240 


Sal volatile, . 


446 


Salad, to raise quickly. 


. 271 


Saline draught. 


107,611 


Salt, . . • . 


. 468 


Salt of lemons, 


57 


Saltpetre, 


. 121 


Salsify, .... 


479 


Sarsaparilla, decoction of, 


. 614 


Satin, black, to clean, 


58 


Satin, white. 


. 61 


Sauces, .... 


325 


Sauce-pans, kettles, &c. . 


256, 454 


Scalds and burns. 


109, 110 


Scarlet fever. 


. 376 


Scent, very fine, . 


142 


Scions, 


. 480 


Scouring drops, 


63,447 


Scratches, .... 


. 616 


Scrofula, 


228 


Scrofula, ointment for. 


. 550 


Scurf on the head, &c., . 


623 


Scurvy, .... 


. 375 


Sea-sickness, to preventj 


118 


Sea-water, artificial, . 


. 233 


Sea- water, to make fit, &c. 


43 


Sea-water, effect of, . 


. 451 


Sea-weed, to preserve, . 


407 


Sen ling- wax, red. 


. 172 


Sealing-wax, varnish, . 


168 


Seasoning fur stuffing, 


. 327 



Seeds, to preserve. 
Seeds for fruit trees, . 
Seeds, to discover, &e., 
Seeds, flower, to preserv 
Seeds, foreign. 
Senna, infusion of. 
Senna, tea, 

S(^ntiments of flowers, 
September, . 
Servants, • 

Servants, punctuality in 
Servants, rules for. 
Sewing, . . . 
Sewing on glazed calico. 
Shave, an easy, 
Shaving, . 
Shaving, composition for 
Shaving liquids, 
Sheep, . 
Sheep, to select. 
Sheep, to catch. 
Sheep, to mark, 
Sheets, . 
Sherbet, 
Shirt, . 
Shirt, to iron, . 
Shocks, violent, 
Shoes, 

Shoes, white satin. 
Shopping, . 
Shower-bath, hand, " 
Shumac, . . , 
Sick, management of, 
Sick room, rules for, . 
Sickness, remedies for, 
Sickness, severe, 
Sickness and vomiting. 
Side, pain in. 
Sight, rules for, &c., 
Silk articles. 
Silk, old, 

Silks, black, to dip, . 
Silks, to alum, 
Silks, to clean, . 
Silks, to extract grease. 
Silks and merinoes, . 
Silks and stuffs, 
Singing, utility of. 
Sink, . 
Skeleton leaves. 
Skin, to soften, &c., 
Skin, wash for, . 
Skins, squirrel. 
Slate color. 
Sleep, to promote. 



2G7, 291 

481 

197 

197 

291 

247 

117 

669 

185 

213, 606 

252 

251 

151, 152 

165 

150 

149 

150 

150 

469 

466 

290 

288 

155 

347, 348 

492 

53 

569 

81 

80 

669 

124 

471 

217 

558 

371 

91 

222 

618 

249 

627 

60 

61 

75 

60, 61 

59 

60 

59 

654 

257 

409 

132 

140 

442 

361 

, 430 



118, 23 



tl8 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



Sleet, cause of, . 


452 


Slugs, 


281 


Slugs and snails, 


481 


Slugs, rose, .... 


483 


Small-pox, to prevent pitting, . 


559 


Small-pox marks, . 


555 


Smelling-bottle, . . , 


148 


Smoke, to color, . 


393 


Smoke of a candle, <fec., 


455 


Smut in wheat. 


268 


Snails, ..... 


281 


Snake bites, .... 


121 


Snow, cause of, . 


451 


Snow, effect of, . 


452 


Soap, 


216 


Soap, essence of, . 


144 


Soaps, various, . . 145 


, 146 


Soap, soft, .... 


365 


Soap, substitute for, . 


46 


Soap liniment with Spanish flies. 


551 


Soda-cake, .... 


328 


Soda-water and ginger-beer pow- 




ders, 


350 


Soil for fruit trees. 


481 


Sore throat, gargle for. 


103 


Sore throat, ulcerated, . 


107 


Sorel, 


471 


Sound and light, velocity of, 


674 


Soap, vegetable, . 


241 


Spasms, 


101 


Spectacles, use of, 


655 


Spermaceti or wax on cloth. 


63 


Spermaceti ointment, . 


246 


Spider, bite of, , 


468 


Spider, red, .... 


281 


Spinach, 


479 


Spirits, to test, 


191 


Spit, &c., cleaning. . 


258 


Splints, substitutes for. 


568 


Sponge, to clean. 


54 


Sponge-cake, . ' . 


331 


Spots on silk, . . . • 


59 


Spots on cloths, &c., 


59 


Spots from woolen cloths. 


62 


Spots in linen. 


58 


Sprain, ...... 


115 


Sprain or bruise, . 


233 


Spruce beer, .... 


350 


Squash, . , . 355 


, 479 


Squill mixture, .... 


246 


Squinting, .... 


613 


Squirrels 


644 


Stables and ford, . 


466 


Staining marble, <fcc.. 


416 


Stains from hands, 


627 



Stains of wine, <fec., . 


65 


Stains, 


66 


Stains, ink, . . . 


67 


Stains from bombazine, 


57 


Stains from silks, 


61 


Stair-carpet, to sweep, . 


438 


Stammering, . . . 120 


, 248 


Starch, to make, . 


47 


Starch, gum Arabic, 


47 


Starch injection, . 


246 


States, American, when settled, 


692 


Steam, 


44 


Steel, to take rust out of. 


25 


Steel-pens, .... 


170 


Steel-pens, pen-wiper for, .\ 


170 


Steeps, fertilizing. 


268 


Stilton cheese, . . 


359 


Sting of insects. 


123 


Sting of a nettle, . 


123 


Stitches, explanation of, . 


152 


Stitching, .... 


153 


Stock, hints about, . 


466 


Stockings, to wash, 


50 


Stockings, silk, to dye. 


76 


Stockings, worsted, to mend. 


627 


Stomachic mixture, . 


100 


Stone stairs, &c., to wash, 


14 


Stone halls, &c,, to take oil out 




of .... . 


14 


Stoves to clean, . . .22, 28 


Strains, embrocation for, . 


101 


Straw, to bleach, . 


66 


Straw-color and yellow, . 362 


388 


Strawberries, 


298 


Strawberries, to color. 


391 


Strawberry plants. 


298 


Street, rules for, 


605 


Striped grass -for hay, . 


267 


Styptics, . . . 98 


648 


Suckers, from shrubs, . 


304 


Sufibcation, .... 


670 


Sugar of lead in wines. 


343 


Sulphur, use of, . . 274, 


468 


Sunburn, . - . 


624 


Sunburn, preventive for, . 


133 


Sunburn, grape, &c.. 


134 


Sunburn and freckles. 


134 


Sunflowers, .... 


484 


Sunstroke, .... 


670 


Supper, ..... 


368 


Support for bed-clothes, . 


568 


Surgery, domestic. 


560 


Swans, to color, 


393 


Swansdown, to clean, , 


54 


Sweet-scented water. 


142 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



119 



Swimming, art of, 
Syncope, or fainting, 
. Syrup of cloves, &c., 
Syrup of ginger, , 
Syrup, lemon, . 
Syrup, turnip, 



547 
234 
346 
347 
245 
245 



Table, . . . . 


. 210 


Table-cloths, 


157 


Table-covers, dressing. 


. 156 


Table-linen, . 


156 


Tables, useful family, 


. 699 


Tar water, use of, . 


104 


Tartar, to remove. 


. 619 


Tartar emetic 


122 


Tea, Chinese method, 


. 351 


Tea, economical, . 


352 


Tea, preparing. 


. 260 


Teas, black, . 


188 


Teas, green. 


. 189 


Tea, sage, 


244 


Tea-pot, the best, 


. 454 


Tea-urns, cleaning, 


27 


Tea-urns, polished, . 


. 33 


Technical terms, relating 


to 


books, 


. 680 


Teeth, .... 


137 


Teeth, infant's, . . 


. 247 


Teeth and gums, . 


248 


Temperance, 


. 581 


Terms technical relating to 


en- 


gravings, . 


. 681 


Terms technical in medicine, 


544 


Terrines of rice. 


. 333 


Things to know, . 


450 


Thirst, to prevent, 


. 206 


Thread, <fcc., to keep, . 


155 


Throat, sore. 


. 231 


Thrush, or sore mouth, , 


233 


Thumb, dislocated, . 


. 572 


Tight lacing, 


487 


Tiles, .... 


312, 313 


yimber. 

Timber, green, to season, . 


306 


. 310 


Timber, method of trying 


310 


Timber, to eut, . 


. 470 


Time, true, . 


673 


Tin covers, to clean, . 


. 27 


Tinder, economy in. 


216 


Toads, .... 


. 471 


Tobacco, 


122 


Tobacco, useful, &c., 


. 301 


Toilet, the, . 


127 



Tomato, catchup. 


. 320 


Tomato pickle, green, . 


320 


Tomato, .... 


. 479 


Tonics, 


548 


Tool-chests, family, . 


. 633 


Tooth, decayed, to fill. 


138, 612 


Tooth-powders, various, 136 


]37, 619 


Tooth-acho; 


. 625 


Tortoise-shell, to mend. 


71 


Ton, 


. 562 


Towels, 


156 


Transferring to glass, &c.. 


. 412 


Transfer to glass, . 


413 


Transfer to wood. 


. 413 


Transfer to ivory, . 


414 


Transfer to cardboard. 


. 414 


Transfer to earthenware. 


415 


Transfer varnish. 


. 412 


Transplant, to. 


295 


Trees, to transplant. 


. 471 


Trees, to cut, 


461 


Trees, to color, , 


. 393 


Trees, to increase, &c., 


303 


Trees, to destroy moss on, 


. 304 


Trees, to cure canker, . 


304 


Trees, healing wounds in. 


305, 307 


Trees, composition for. 


. 305 


Trees for shade. 


307 


Trees, forest. 


. 306 


Trees, whitewashing, . 


307 


Trimmings, 


. 486 


Trousers, 


493 


Turkeys, to color. 


. 392 


Turkeys, to fatten, 


202 


Turner's cerate, 


. 114 


Turnip, 


479 


Turnips, soil for. 


. 270 


Turnips, to preserve, 


273 


Turnips, to prevent fly in. 


. 275 


Turnips, to prevent slugs in 


279 


Turnips, small, . 


. 471 


Turnip syrup. 


244 


Turpentine, 


. 551 


Turpentine, nutritive, . 


652 



Unventilated places, to explore, 440 
Useful hints about bed-clothes, 17 
Useful receipts, . . .611 



V. 

Vapor-bath at home. 
Vapor-bath, simple, 



250 
125 



720 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



Varnish, Grecian, . . . 397 

Varnish, transfer, . . 412 

Varnish for violins, . . .21 

Varnish, white, . . . 21 
Varnish for straw or chip hats, 66 

Varnish, incombustible, . . 72 

Varnish for oil pictures, . 169 

Varnish, to prevent, &c., , . 177 

Varnished furniture, . , 20 

Vaults, hints about, . . .461 

Vegetables, properties of, . 474 

Vegetables, to cultivate . . 476 
Vegetables, to clear of insects, 605 

Vegetables, . . . .604 

Veils, white, to clean, . . 441 

Velvet, to clean, . . . 627 

Velvet, to raise the pile of, . 62 

Venomous animals, bite of, . 122 

Ventilators, improved, . . 316 

Ventriloquism, . . . .659 

Verdigris, .... 122 

Verjuice, how to make, , . 118 

Vermin, cause of, . . . 457 

Vermin in gardens, . . . 279 

Vermin in granaries, . . 282 

Vermin on plants, • . .196 

Vesicants, . . . . 548 

Vest, 493 

Vinegar for burns, . . ]10 

Vinegar, to make, . . , 193 

Vinegar, aromatic, . . 148 

Vinegar, lavender, . • . 148 

Vimegar mixture, . . . 242 

Vines, to prune, . ♦ 306, 679 

Visits and presentations, . 502 

Vitriol, white, . . . .122 

Vitriol accidents, . . . 110 

Voice, the, . . . .654 

W. 



Walking with a lady. 


. 501 


Wall -fruit, . 


306 


Walls, damp, 


. 312 


AValnut ketchup, . 


355 


Walnut water, . 


. 116 


Warmth, dry. 


568 


Warts, 


. 96 


Warts and corns, . 


96 


Wash colors for maps. 


. 389 


Wash for pimples. 


135 


Wash for walls. 


. 360 


Wash, to, 


363 


Wash balls, 


. 144 


Washing, family, 


49 



Washing, frequent, . . 
Washing, general, 
Vv^ashing day, . 
Washing materials. 
Washing preparations, 
Washing woolen, . 
Washington, words of. 
Wasps, .... 
Wasps and ants, 
Wasps and flies, . 
Wasp or bee, sting of. 
Wasp, cure for swallowing. 
Watch, to manage, . 
Water, .... 
Water, to prevent freezing in 

pipes. 
Water, hard. 
Water, to make soft. 
Water, stagnant, . 
Water, to obtain pure. 
Water, to obtain, . 
Water, hot. 
Water, keeping hot, 
Water and meat in voyages. 
Water, rules for those who havis 

fallen in, . 
Water, barley. 
Water, bergamot. 
Waters for cooling, <fec., 
Water, peach, &c., . 
Water-colors in drawing. 
Water-colors for animals, . 
Water, to color. 
Water-proof clothing. 
Water-proof cloth. 
Wax or grease-spots. 
Wax, <fec., from cloth, . 
Wax, from velvet, . 
Wax candles. 
Wealth, way to. 
Weaning children, 
Weather, signs of, 
Weather and the blood. 
Weather-proof composition. 
Wedding breakfast. 
Wedding cards. 
Wedding cakes. 
Wedding rings. 
Weeds, .... 
Weights and measures. 
Wet clothes, to prevent, &c.. 
Wheat, to sow, . 
Wheat, to prevent smut, 
Wheat and barley, to sow. 
Whey, alum, 



459 

46 
262 
626 

46 
363 
695 
482 

85 

85 

123 

123 

186 

42,43 

43 
626 
446 
441 
244 
377 
554 
259 

44 



649 

245 

347 

244 

347 

385 

389 

388 

77 

78,82 

55 

63 

63 

34 

583 

220 

674 

675 

36 

517 

5!7 

519 

519 

285, 464 

.. 699 

104 

269 

27 

470 

247 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 



121 



Whey, French methocl, 

Whey, laxative, 

Whey, mustard, 

Whey, wine, 

Whiskers, &c., to promotej 

Whit« for inside, ^c, . 

White, a good, . 

White satin, 

White varnish, . 

Whooping-eoLigh, 

Whortleberries 

Wife, how to treat, 

Wills, 

Windows, washing, 

Windows, to color, 

Windsor soap. 

Wine, American currant, 

Win-e, claret, to improre, 

Wine, apricot, . 

Wine, damson, 

Wine, home-made, 

Wine, moreilo cherry, , 

Wine, orange. 

Wine, raisin, 

Wine, red cherry, 

Wine, red currant, 

Wine, spruce, . 

Wine, coloring. 



376 
245 
242 
242 
624 
37 
386 
61 

. 21 
104, 231 

. 247 
521 
083 
626 
394 
145 
345 
339 
343 
342 
339 
S43 
343 
344 
342 
344 
345 
341 



Wine, fining for, 

Wine jelly, . . . , 

Wood, to preserve, 

Wood, to preserve from fire, 

Wood, to stain, . . 417, 

Wooden stairs, like stone, 

Wool, to purify, . 

Woolens and furs. 

Woolens, to wash, 

Wool of sheep, . , • . 

Worm pimple, 

Worms, .... 

Worms in gardens. 

Worms in gravel walks, , 

Worsted, &c., to d3^e black, . 

Wounds, to- pre vent mortifying. 

Wren, usefulness of, . 

Write, to, secretly, 

Writing, old. 

Writing, to take out, 



340 
333 
308 
314 

422 
37 
18 
73 

289 
135 
229 
282 
2.82 
77 
93 
282 
382 
173 
173 



Yeast, . . . 356, 593 

Yeast, Turkish, . . . 335 

Yellow, . . . .388 

Yellow bird, .... 643 
Young, a word to the . . 652 



THi'J END. 









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n^^^ N. MANCHESTER. 
INDIANA 





